• Another London jeweler was robbed in a daytime break-in just weeks ago, fueling concerns over crime and policing

• ‘People no longer trust the police’ as such incidents have become more frequent and dangerous, says shop owner Cetin Dedeogullari

LONDON 

A brazen daylight robbery at a Turkish-owned jewelry shop in north London has intensified concerns about rising street crime and public safety in the British capital, with business owners warning that such incidents are becoming more frequent and more dangerous.

Four suspects dressed head-to-toe in black stormed Bilezzik jewelry shop in Haringey at around 10 a.m. (1000 GMT) on Tuesday, just minutes after it opened. Armed with hammers and arriving on mopeds, the group rammed the entrance, smashed display cases and fled within minutes, according to the shop owner and CCTV footage.

The attack unfolded shortly after a customer entered the store. Video shows the masked suspects, wearing motorcycle helmets, rushing inside and smashing glass cabinets while accomplices gathered jewellery.

Local residents attempted to intervene as the robbers escaped, but were forced back when one suspect waved a blade.

The robbery occurred in Green Lanes, an area known for its large Turkish community. Shop owner Cetin Dedeogullari, 45, said it happened with startling speed.

“Two of them entered the shop and smashed the glass, all the glass in the display. Then two people started grabbing things,” he told Anadolu.

He said one of the mopeds was left inside the shop as the suspects fled on the remaining vehicles.

“They caused serious damage to the shop. That’s it, an unfortunate incident,” he added.

Dedeogullari, who has run the shop for about a year, estimated losses – including stolen goods and property damage – at between £40,000 and £50,000 ($53,000-$67,000). Most items taken were gold-plated and steel jewelry.

Beyond financial losses, he said the psychological impact was severe.

“Psychologically, they caused a lot of damage. My wife and a customer were inside,” he said.

“In London, these incidents have become more frequent and more dangerous; the police say this too. I can say that people no longer trust the police.”

Police response and public concern

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said officers were called at 10:04 a.m. on Feb. 24 following reports of an armed robbery.

“During the incident, a number of members of the public attempted to prevent the suspects from making off. No injuries were reported,” the spokesperson said.

Officers arrived within minutes and an investigation is ongoing, with efforts focused on securing evidence and identifying suspects. No arrests had been made at the time of the statement.

The Haringey robbery comes less than a month after another daylight jewelry raid in Richmond, southwest London, where burglars armed with hammers smashed the front window of Gregory & Co jewelers and fled with valuables.

A video widely shared online showed masked men breaking the shopfront and scooping items into a bag while staff tried to intervene.

The Jan. 31 incident stirred more debate over the state of policing in London, with residents blaming government cuts for slower response times and reduced deterrence.

In May 2024, London had 33,766 police officers, but projections suggest numbers could fall to about 31,258 by March 2026 without additional funding.

Official crime data presents a mixed picture. Knife-enabled crime, personal robbery and theft from the person across London fell by about 7% in the year to mid-2025, while homicides dropped to their lowest level in more than a decade, according to the Metropolitan Police and the Office for National Statistics.

However, the capital still records the highest knife-crime rate in England and Wales. Meanwhile, shoplifting and theft from the person have climbed to their highest levels in at least 15 years, offenses analysts say strongly influence how safe people feel day to day.

Public perception reflects this tension. A recent YouGov survey found 61% of Britons consider London unsafe, while 63% of Londoners themselves say the city is safe.

For business owners like Dedeogullari, however, the sense of vulnerability is immediate and personal.

“I don’t know whether the police are overstretched or what exactly is happening, but people no longer trust the police.”