ARMED robbers behind a £250,000 designer watch heist are likely to have to sell their haul abroad, police believe.

Four balaclava-clad men, armed with sledgehammers and axes, smashed open window display cases at Argyll Arcade in Buchanan Street last week.

It is thought they could have spent hours "staking out" Glasgow's historic jewellery mall before last Wednesday's raid.

They made their escape in a white VW Golf car, which was later found abandoned in a car park in Townhead, near

Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

It is believed at least one of the distinctive top-of-the-range watches is worth around £30,000.

Cops said it was unlikely the loot would be sold in the UK, as no reputable trader would touch them.

Each watch has a unique serial number, meaning they cannot be sold to any authorised dealer without paperwork.

Chief Inspector Mark Sutherland said: "Officers would normally check pawn shops when trying to track down stolen property.

"In this case, it is far more likely the watches would be sold abroad, possibly over the internet. However, we will be examining all potential

avenues for selling high-value watches."

The Evening Times previously revealed how the gang may not be able to flog their £250,000 haul of loot because it's "too hot".

But the gang - who remain at large following the brazen daylight heist - will struggle to sell on the high-end timepieces in Scotland, or even the UK.

It is understood that, unless they were stolen to order, the thieves will have trouble offloading them any time soon.

The armed thugs targeted Rox, Mappin and Webb, Laing the Jeweller and Lewis Grant.

Rox was the only store to have items, including Hublot and Bell & Ross watches, stolen.

Experts have since swabbed the VW vehicle and forensics taken from the Arcade are also being analysed.

rebecca.gray@eveningtimes.co.uk