MASKED raiders who used sledgehammers and an axe to rob a jewellery arcade escaped with more than £250,000 of luxury watches.

 Smoke filled the Argyll Arcade as the balaclava-clad thugs battered a security guard during the daring daylight heist.

The gang smashed its way into four jewellers' shops - Rox, Mappin and Webb, Laing the Jeweller and Lewis Grant - at around 1pm yesterday.

They escaped only with designer watches from Rox.

Rox has said a number of high value watches, including Hublot and Bell & Ross items with a value of £250,000 had been stolen in the robbery.

A police source said: "They may have only got away with, for example, a dozen or so watches. But, the problem is some of these pieces can cost around £30,000."

The men burst into the jewellery district in busy Buchanan Street as dozens of shoppers walked by.

The raiders were caught on camera running from the shopping area behind a cloud of smoke - which had been set off by the shops' own security systems.

It is understood they were shouting at staff and customers as they smashed display cases and windows open with hammers.

Some customers "froze with fear" in front of the weapons while the thieves smashed cabinets.

Footage from stunned shoppers in Buchanan Street show two of the thieves brandishing weapons, as an accomplice wields an axe shouting: "Out the way or I will kill you all".

 

Video by David McCourt

Meanwhile, a brave concierge was hit by a baseball bat as he tried to stop the thieves from entering.

He was stretchered from the Arcade and taken to a nearby hospital, where he received treatment for a leg injury.

Around 50 shocked witnesses were ushered into several police vans and taken to a city centre station, where statements were taken.

Chief Inspector Mark Sutherland, area commander for the city centre, sent a message to the thugs: "We will identify you and we will arrest you."

The gang grabbed valuable timepieces, but also left cases of other high-end designer watches.

Mr Sutherland added: "We will be using all our resources on the investigation and will work to identify those responsible.

"Forensics are now working to establish what has been taken.

"I would encourage anyone who knows anything about the incident to contact police."

The raiders were last seen running down the lane next to Argyll Arcade towards Queen Street carrying holdalls and weapons.

One eyewitness, said: "I couldn't believe my eyes - it was like something out of a movie.

"One minute I was walking down Buchanan Street, minding my own business, the next, there was smoke everywhere and I saw four guys in balaclavas running out of the Argyll Arcade with axes and hammers."

Around an hour later, officers recovered a white Volkswagen Golf near Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Detectives are investigating whether it is linked to the robbery.

Mr Sutherland said: "It is believed that the suspects made off in a white hatchback vehicle.

"A white Volkswagen Golf has been recovered in St James Road, Townhead, Glasgow.

"Inquiries are also ongoing at that location to establish if it is the vehicle involved."

The robbery took place almost a year to the day since the Argyll Arcade was last targeted by raiders.

A man made off with a watch and ring worth more than £10,000 on Friday September 27 2013.

The theft took place at Rox at around 5.35pm.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.

rebecca.gray@eveningtimes.co.uk