The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Daylight robbery
Gang is believed to have been armed with machetes
Police are searching for a gang armed with machetes who threatened staff at the Gleneagles Hotel and made off with high value designer watches.
Firearms officers, search dogs and a police helicopter were deployed after the raid on a shop in the five-star establishment yesterday morning.
Four masked men pulled up at the main entrance of the hotel at around 11am.
Three of them ran into the building and approached employees at the Mappin and Webb boutique jewellery store, near the reception.
They threatened staff at knifepoint and demanded watches understood to be worth several thousand pound.
The men ran back to their car, a blue Audi, which was parked outside with the engine running.
The car left the hotel and drove at high speed along Station Road.
The vehicle was abandoned at the bottom off the road, near the A9.
Witnesses said the men disappeared into nearby bushes.
Firearms officers were scrambled to nearby Gleneagles Station, close to where the vehicle was found dumped.
A police helicopter assisted the search from the air, while police dogs were used to scour fields and woodland.
Detectives said they have been unable to explain how the gang got away, and have not ruled out the possibility they were picked up by a passing car or even jumped on a train.
The abandoned Audi was cordoned off by police, while the area around it was searched for any dropped items.
One onlooker said she saw the car “tearing” down the road from the direction of the hotel. “It was going at some speed,” she said. “It came screeching to a halt at the end of the road and I saw two men get out.
“It was difficult to say what they looked like because they were moving so fast.
“They ran through the bushes at the end, towards the A9.”
Investigators spent the afternoon quizzing staff and taking statements from guests.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Patrick, who is leading the inquiry, confirmed no one was hurt.
“This was a shocking, but thankfully rare, incident which we are taking very seriously,” he said. “We were contacted by members of staff from Gleneagles Hotel about an armed robbery at the premises.
He said: “We know that four males were involved in this armed robbery.
“They were wearing dark clothing and their faces were covered with some kind of material.
“Inquiries are at an early stage, but we can say that they arrived in an Audi car, three of them entered the premises and brandished weapons at staff and made off with a quantity of watches.”
He said the Audi was recovered a short time later outside Auchterarder.
“We are looking through CCTV, carrying out forensic inquiries and speaking to witnesses.
DCI Patrick said descriptions of the men were not yet available.
He said he was so far unable to confirm what weapons were used, although guests have described the men as armed with machetes or large knives.
“Thiswasabusytimeofdayforthehotel and there was a lot of staff and guests who would have seen what happened.”
Police don’t yet know the value of the items taken.
According to its website, Mappin and Webb is an “upscale retailer offering luxury jewellery, designer watches, silver-plated cutlery and gifts.”
It is understood to hold stock worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
A spokeswoman for the hotel said: “We are working closely with Police Scotland in relation to a robbery at the hotel this morning and can confirm no guests or members of staff were harmed as a result of the incident.
“As this is an ongoing police investigation, we are unable to provide further information at this stage.”
Police were unable to confirm speculation that the men were also carrying firearms.
This was a busy time of day for the hotel and there was a lot of staff and guests who would have seen what happened