BURGLARS armed with a wrench smashed their way into a jewellery shop before making off with designer watches.

The attackers struck the glass seven times to shatter the display window before reaching through and grabbing the ‘high value’ jewellery.

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Yesterday’s incident was the second time Whalley-based Sarah Layton Jewellers had been targeted, with robbers breaking in and stealing watches as customers shopped during a daytime raid in the summer.

Owner Nigel Layton-Hill said he was furious about the damage the latest attack had caused to the King Street company.

He said: “It is unfair because people are just trying to make a fair living.

“This kind of thing does not just disrupt us, it affects other traders too.”

The latest aggravated burglary happened shortly after 4am yesterday ((MON)).

CCTV shows how two men ran up to the display window, one of them carrying a large sack and the other a wrench.

After hitting the window several times, one of the men reached through the small hole created by chipping the toughened glass away and then grabbed the items.

Mr Layton-Hill said the Hugo Boss watches were each worth between £100 and £350. They were still adding up how many had been taken.

The shop, which stocks high-end pieces from Vivienne Westwood, Swarovski and Georg Jensen, had locked some of its more expensive items away in a safe for the night.

He said: “You can see from the CCTV that the men came equipped for the job.

“I could not believe it when we arrived in the morning and the alarm was going off. I saw the broken glass and the police were already there.

“The thing going through my head was ‘not again’ because of the attack in August.

“It is not so much the value of the items taken that annoys me, but the mess it causes and the cost of the damage.

“It also disrupts everybody’s day.”

Mr Layton-Hill said preparations for the festive rush would be hampered by the attack.

He said: “It is a set-back in the run-up to Christmas. The window is out of action as we cannot display things properly.

“It is disruptive because it takes a lot of time to sort out and it is expensive with the insurance.”

One resident, who lives nearby, said such attacks made her ‘scared’ when out walking with her young children.

She said: “It makes me feel a bit nervous. You just do not expect these kind of things around here.

“We have a lot of independent businesses in Whalley and I hope incidents like these do not frighten them away.

“I do worry about the kids because the school is just around the corner. There are a lot of houses being built too, but I do not know if anybody will want to move in with things like this happening.”

Business owners said they felt the village was becoming more of a target for thieves.

Virginia James, who runs CJ’s Sandwich Bar, said: “It is definitely getting worse since they shut the police station and they took the police community support officer away.

“It is really worrying for local businesses.”

Abid Patel, who owns the newsagents in King Street, added: “When I arrived to work first thing and saw the police, it made me really worried and scared.”

Crime scene investigators were at the shop yesterday photographing evidence and searching for clues.

One of the burglars was described as wearing trainers and camouflage combat-style trousers. He also wore a light-coloured jacket with the hood up.

The second man was wearing light trousers and jacket with dark on the upper back and shoulders.

It is thought they ran from the scene in the direction of the Spar shop in George Street.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police appealed for anybody with information about the ‘high-value theft’ to call them.

She said: “Two men approached the side of the local village jewellers shop from an alleyway.

“They broke one of the windows and made a hole in the glass before reaching in and taking what they could.

“We are making inquiries with CCTV and CSI have been on the scene.

“I would appeal for anybody with information to come forward.”

Anybody with details should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.