Police today released CCTV photos of brazen thieves who drilled through the wall of a derelict property to steal £250,000 worth of luxury handbags from a boutique.
The 55 items, with some valued at as much as £25,000 each and much sought-after by celebrities, were snatched as burglars ransacked the store on Sunday night.
Three intruders got round Dress Cheshire’s sophisticated security set-up by smashing through a 3ft wide chimney stack.
One raider used a duvet cover as a pouch to carry off the pre-owned designer bags from brands including Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton.
Police were on the scene at Prestbury – popular with Premier League footballers and celebrities – ‘within minutes’ but the gang had already fled.
Now, officers at Cheshire Constabulary have released new CCTV images of three men they are looking to speak to as part of the investigation.
Detective Constable Clare Slattery, of Macclesfield CID, said: ‘Enquiries in relation to this incident are ongoing and we’re committed to doing all we can to identify the people responsible.
‘As part of our investigation we’re keen to identify the men pictured in the CCTV images as we believe they may hold vital information.
‘If you recognise the men, please contact us. I would also like to appeal directly to the men in the CCTV images to get in touch.’
The items stolen included a Hermes Birkin 25 Swift that could sell for £24,500, a Hermes Kelly 32 Crocodile handbag valued at £23,995 and a Hermes Birkin 35 Togo at £15,995.
Owner Christine Colbert, 58, watched the raid unfold in horror and disbelief from her home. She said: ‘I went to bed about 10.30pm on Sunday so I was asleep when we got a call from the monitoring company.
‘I immediately switched on the CCTV on my phone and I could see a man crouching down and bricks all over the floor. I said to my husband Gary, ‘We’re being robbed’. I was panicking.’
Watching the footage back, she could hear the noise of drilling for over an hour before the raiders broke through.
Mrs Colbert added: ‘They were big burly men, and they were all in black with goggles, balaclavas, and gloves. They took three or four minutes to whirl round the shop and grab all the bags.
‘One man had a duvet tied round his neck like a pouch which he threw the bags in. Another man put everything up his arms – they were full of bags.
‘Then they hurled the handbags through the hole they’d made. Respect for the bags was zero.’
The gang dropped just two of the bags, which were among the least valuable.
The next-door building was empty following an arson attack. Neighbours had noticed ‘workmen’ at the site but they assumed it was being renovated.
However, it is now believed the gang were plotting their attack, boarding up the windows and entering the shop via a fireplace.
It is the second time in just over a year thieves have targeted Mrs Colbert, with a gang previously breaking in via a window and stealing items worth £180,000.
That prompted her to beef up security but she is now faced with a decision on whether to continue displaying the luxury goods in her store, which attracts collectors from around the country.
Mrs Colbert said of the raid: ‘This has been very well thought through – it’s very frightening for me. I have to showcase my products. I despair. I can’t believe the lengths they have gone to.
‘It used to be watches people wanted – now it’s handbags and they are worth more second-hand than they are new.
‘I doubt I’ll see the stolen bags again – they will now go on the black market.’
With Wilmslow and Alderley Edge, Prestbury makes up the ‘golden triangle’ of Cheshire towns favoured by celebrities and sports stars around the North West.
However, the area has been frequently targeted by burglars including one gang who snatched more than 100 rare handbags worth more than £1million when they raided a home in Alderley Edge in March.
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