Rolex robber caught on CCTV during £130,000 heist at jewellery store

Dramatic CCTV shows the moment two armed robbers carried out a heist at a jewellers before escaping with £130,000 worth of designer watches. The pair executed the daring broad-daylight raid at Cope Jewellers, in Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, shortly after 1.45pm on September 3.

Shocking footage shows the moment the men, wearing motorcycle helmets and gloves, stormed the premises armed with lump hammers.

Rolex and Oris watches stolen

Glass display cabinets were then smashed before more than £130,000 worth of Rolex, Tudor and Oris watches were stolen.

Nottingham Crown Court heard an elderly customer was shopping at the time and was pushed by one of the robbers as he attempted to flee the store. The owner of the business was also present and was forced back while the brazen raid was carried out.

Store owner fought back against robber

A jewellery stall in Long Eaton, Derbys., was also targeted 15 minutes earlier but the robbers left empty-handed after being fought off by the brave stall owner.

A Nottinghamshire Police investigation found the incidents were linked, with the suspects riding away on a black motorcycle with distinctive blue forks.

Three days later, officers received information Luke Boden, 29, was involved in the Cope Jewellers robbery and the motorcycle had been abandoned in bushes near Nottingham's City Hospital.

Detectives recovered the bike and analysis confirmed it was the same one used in both incidents.

Audi purchased after robbery

CCTV near Boden’s home also captured him with the bike on the day of the robbery and attempted robbery.

He was also wearing clothes that matched those seen recordings of the two crimes.

Further damning evidence was secured when police found a £6,000 Audi A3 parked outside Boden's address, which was purchased after the robbery.

His home was raided on September 8 and officers seized a large quantity of cash along two yellow JD Sports bags – similar to the one held by one of the offenders.

Unemployed crook spent £400 in JD Sports

Detectives also established he’d spent just over £400 in JD Sports four days after the robbery, despite seemingly being unemployed. Boden, of New Basford, Nottingham, was arrested and provided a ‘no comment’ interview before later being charged.

He pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and driving whilst disqualified on October 14 at Nottingham Crown Court.

Jailing Boden for seven years today (Thurs), Recorder Crooknorth said he’d been an “active participant” in both incidents and that the robbery had caused the owner both “financial and emotional distress”.

25 stolen watches

The court heard Boden stood at the door of Cope Jewellers while his accomplice smashed glass cabinets and placed high-value watches into a bag.

Twenty-five watches were stole in total. They had a combined cost value of £131,905 and a retail value of more than £160,000.

Insurance premiums rose

In a victim impact statement, the store’s owner said the robbery had pushed up the shop’s insurance premiums and that he would need to invest up to £25,000 in security upgrades.

He added: “The incident itself was extremely distressing and nothing compared to this has ever occurred in my store before.

“Witnessing two men, dressed in black wearing motorcycle gear whilst they barricaded the door and smashed the display cabinets with a hammer was traumatising and I will never forget it.”

Business owner left traumatised

The court heard work to trace the second offender remains ongoing.

Detective Inspector Chris Berryman, of Nottinghamshire Police, said after the case:

“These two incidents have left a lasting impact on all of those involved and I am pleased Boden has been swiftly brought to justice. The sentence imposed today sends a strong message that these kind of offences are incredibly serious and will never be tolerated.

“Business owners should not face threats or violence while trying to earn a living and it is equally shocking that an elderly customer was pushed during the robbery at Cope Jewellers.

“I do not underestimate the fear they all felt and I hope today’s sentence brings them a degree of comfort.

“I would like to reassure them and members of the public that this remains an ongoing investigation and that we are steadfast in our efforts to identify and locate the second offender.

“We will always do everything we can to bring the offenders to justice and I would ask anyone who has information that could help us locate the second person to come forward so action can be taken.”