Four men caught red-handed by Flying Squad officers in the act of carrying out a smash-and-grab robbery at a high-end watch store in the West End have been jailed.

Acting on intelligence, officers from the Met’s elite robbery squad were waiting for the gang when two of them entered the shop in Piccadilly armed with hatchets on August 3.

Their attempted escape left five officers injured, with one still recovering from a fractured skull after he was struck by a moped as robbers tried to flee the scene.

Yesterday (Thursday), Charlie Kavanagh, 26, Stephen Hopkins, 29, James Symes, 30, and Johnny Kyriacou, 25, all from Islington, were jailed for a combined total of 53 years at Blackfriars Crown Court. They had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.

Kavanagh, from Canonbury, who also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of thirteen-and-a-half years.

Hopkins, from Holloway, who also pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, and Symes, of no fixed abode, were each sentenced to a total of fourteen-and-a-half years. Kyriacou, from Holloway, was jailed for ten-and-a-half years.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Staff, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “This group of men acted with total disregard for the general public, who must have been terrified to see such an audacious crime being carried out in broad daylight, but also for those officers who bravely tried to apprehend them.

“One was left with very serious injuries that he is still recovering from after he was hit by a moped.”

Officers saw two mopeds stop on the pavement outside the shop just after 11am. Hopkins and Kyriacou got off the back of the scooters and approached the front door.

Hopkins, armed with a hatchet, kicked the front security door open and ran into the store. He attacked the cabinet closest to the door, smashing the glass. Kyriacou followed, reaching into a bag he was holding to pull out a hatchet.

Flying Squad officers waiting at the back of the store immediately challenged the robbers.

Kyriacou dropped the bag he was carrying, ran out of the shop and threw away his weapon. He was followed by Hopkins, who kept hold of his hatchet as he ran. The officers pursued them.

Symes and Kavanagh, who had been waiting on mopeds outside, were tackled by officers.

Kavanagh revved his scooter’s throttle and deliberately drove along the pavement towards three officers. Two officers were knocked aside, bruising their legs and sides.

A third officer, a detective constable, was hit square on by the vehicle and dragged a short distance. He ended up in the road with the scooter lying on top of him.

The officer suffered a fractured skull with bleeds on his brain, cracked ribs, damage to his lung and a broken ankle. He was in hospital for some time undergoing surgery and has yet to fully recover from his injuries and return to work.

• Keywords
  MOTOR-SCOOTERS, ROBBERY, GANGS (CRIMINAL)
• Geographical keyword
  WESTMINSTER [CITY]