Knifepoint robbers grab jewels

A woman was robbed at knifepoint of more than £350,000-worth of jewellery after she left a restaurant in Chelsea.

Three muggers armed with a knife and a metal baton struck at around midnight as she walked with a male companion along the Fulham Road.

The man was grabbed and threatened by one of the gang who claimed to be armed, while a knife was held to the woman's throat as the men demanded she hand over her jewellery. Terrified, the woman handed over a platinum ring encrusted with a 24ct square diamond and two half-moon diamonds worth £300,000.

She also gave them a chunky diamond encrusted watch worth £50,000 and a second platinum ring with the word LOVE written in diamonds and worth £2,500.

The gang also got away with another platinum necklace with a heartshaped pink diamond worth an undisclosed sum and the man's wallet containing cash and credit cards. The couple, whom Scotland Yard refused to name, had been dining in a restaurant in Draycott Avenue, not far from the entrance to Brompton Road on Thursday night and may have made their way into nearby Walton Street.

Staff in The Art Bar on Walton Street, 100 metres from a police station, told how the woman was turned away before the attack because the bar was full.

One worker said: "I heard that she tried to get in here after she'd been to a restaurant, but we were packed so she couldn't come in. Apparently she was on her way home when it happened. The rumour is she's local."

A police spokesman said: "At approximately midnight on Thursday the victim left a restaurant in Draycott Avenue with her male friend. They walked into Walton Street and out on to the Fulham Road.

" They were approached by three black youths. The first suspect held a knife to the woman's throat and demanded her jewellery.

The second restrained her friend and intimated he had a weapon, although none was seen. The third was armed with an extendible metal truncheon.

"The jewellery was grabbed from the victim and a wallet containing credit cards was taken from the man. The suspects made off in an unknown direction.

Police have already warned that carjacking gangs are stalking London's rich and famous, by staking out the capital's leading restaurants and watching for high-value cars to follow. However, no car was involved in this incident.

Police emphasise the number of such attacks are still extremely low but they admit they are part of a disturbing new trend.

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room at Notting Hill on 020 8246 0173 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.