Three thieves on electric bicyles were driven off by brave women shopkeepers after a broad-daylight attempt to rob a high-end lingerie store in a fashionable London suburb. And a Tory councillor, who shared a clip of the dramatic incident on X, has pointed the finger of blame at London Mayor Sadiq Khan – as well as questioning why it took the police eight hours to contact her after she called 999.
Hannah Galley, who represents Abbey ward on Westminster City Council, was having lunch at Babbo in St John’s Wood just before 1.20pm when she noticed a commotion. The footage, captured on her mobile phone, shows a man in a fluorescent orange jacket being pushed by an irate woman outside Rigby and Peller in St John’s Wood High Street.
The camera then pans to focus on another man Ms Galley says was also involved.
She told Express.co.uk: “They’re basically chasing them off, these men, but they try and come back again.
“So even chasing them off isn’t enough. They kind of, walk away, but then they come back and, and I’ve caught some of that.
“These poor shopkeepers, they’re up against this all the time, and I think this is the problem. It’s just absolutely relentless for them.
“These men were really aggressive, and that’s why I thought the shopkeepers are in danger, and that’s why I phoned it in.
Eventually, having decided she had enough footage, Ms Galley dialled 999 to report the incident but waited for an hour and a half with no officers attending, at which point she decided to share it on social media.
Shortly after she left, there was a second incident which the police did attend, she added – but which could have been prevented had officers been dispatched to the first one.
Ms Galley continued: “I had a phone call at about 8pm, and it was from a police constable, and they said they wanted to get the evidence from me.
“So I submitted my video and a photo, and I sent I sent it to them, and then I had a further contact from one of the Detective Chief inspectors in North London who phoned me on Sunday morning.
“She basically said they seen my tweet and realised something had gone badly wrong and that my 999 call had not been prioritised.
“None of my criticism is levelled at our Safer Neighbourhood team, The Policing Team in St John’s Wood, they’re brilliant. But when you phone in a 999, you really expect the police to show up.”
Turning her attention to the Mayor, Ms Galley added: “I think there’s been a huge failing on the part of Sadiq Khan.
“He’s been the mayor since 2016, he’s in charge of policing, and what we’re seeing is the police aren’t showing up to emergency call outs, and that really erodes trust, I think. And that’s on his watch.”
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said about 13.20pm on Saturday, police were called to reports of a theft from a store in St John’s Wood High Street, NW8.
She continued: “Three men attempted to steal items before being stopped by the store staff.
“No arrests have been made at this stage and we remain in contact with the store while investigations are ongoing.”
Anyone with information has been asked to call 101 or ‘X’@METCC and quote CAD3466/26APR25.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe. His record £1.16bn investment in the police, including in Met call handling, has significantly improved emergency response times – with the majority of all 999 calls now answered now answered in under ten seconds
“This was recognised in His Majesty’s Inspectorate’s latest report and one of the reasons why the Met exited special measures in January.
“The Mayor’s funding will also ringfence frontline response police officers so they can be there for Londoners when they need them most across the capital.
“But there is still more to do, and the Mayor will continue to ensure we drive through the further improvements needed as we build a safer London for everyone.”
Express has also contacted Rigby and Peller for comment.