Robbers who smashed their way into a shopping centre last night despite alarms, CCTV cameras and 24-hour security were wearing masks and one is believed to have been armed with a hammer.
It is the first time in more than 30 years that the Ashley Centre, Epsom, has been broken into in this way and the general manager, David Beddows, said he thought it was a well planned raid.
He was up all night working to ensure the centre could open as normal this morning following the lightning raid whose target was diamond and watch specialist Ernest Jones.
One robber carried a weapon, possibly a hammer, and another carried a bag for the loot.
The window cabinet at the jewellers, which was not secured behind a metal grille, was smashed and the robbers grabbed a number of items from the display just before midnight.
Mr Beddows said: "They smashed the glass, not the door. They didn’t open the doors. These guys knew what they were doing. This was carefully planned I feel.
He added: "It’s pieces of glass that have got to be repaired but nobody was hurt. That’s the most important thing to remember.
"You are sad these things happen but as long as you react to them in the correct way, make sure everyone else is safe, that’s the important thing. We continue and carry on.
"We will be looking at our systems and making sure they are suitable for the level of threat."
He said police arrived at the scene straight away, adding: "I have got nothing but admiration for them. They will now do their investigations."
He said: "We take pride in the centre. Epsom has a good safe feel and I would hate for that to change."
André Nombreuse, sales assistant at Stormfront opposite Ernest Jones, said: "I just walked in this morning and saw the smashed window.
"I’m surprised because the security is really good. I’m quite surprised that it happened in Epsom of all places. We have never had anything this big happen before."
Customer Ann Longman said: "It makes me feel frustrated and angry that there are people like that. It’s such a bad thing to happen.
"I think it is quite secure here, but if they are determined they will break in."
Another customer Terry Willoughby said: "They obviously knew what they were doing. Obviously the security was lacking somewhere along the line.
"The question is where were they, if they have got cameras and everything else."
Ernest Jones has now reopened at the Ashley Centre. An employee declined to comment on the robbery.
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