On Saturday afternoon in St John’s Wood, north-west London, three men on electric bicycles attempted to carry out a robbery at a high-end lingerie store, an incident that was thwarted by the determined intervention of female shopkeepers. The event, which unfolded at around 1.20pm outside Rigby & Peller on St John’s Wood High Street, was captured on video by Hannah Galley, a Conservative councillor for Abbey ward on Westminster City Council, who happened to be nearby at the time.

The footage shows a man in a fluorescent orange jacket being confronted by a woman outside the store, with Ms Galley describing how the shopkeepers chased the men off, only for them to return shortly after in an aggressive manner. Speaking to Express.co.uk, she said, “These poor shopkeepers, they’re up against this all the time… These men were really aggressive, and that’s why I thought the shopkeepers are in danger, and that’s why I phoned it in.”

Despite Ms Galley promptly contacting the emergency services by dialling 999, she reported a significant delay in police response. After waiting for an hour and a half without any officers arriving, she decided to share the footage on social media. She later received a phone call from a police constable at about 8pm, who requested the video evidence she had recorded. Subsequently, a Detective Chief Inspector in North London also contacted her to acknowledge the shortcomings in the initial police response and that her 999 call had not been prioritised appropriately.

Ms Galley praised the local Safer Neighbourhood policing team in St John’s Wood, describing them as “brilliant,” but expressed frustration at the lack of timely action following emergency calls. She attributed some of the issues to the current policing leadership in the capital, stating, “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.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that around 1.20pm on Saturday, they were called to reports of theft from a store on St John’s Wood High Street involving three men. These individuals were stopped by staff at the store, and at the time no arrests had been made. Investigations remain ongoing, and the police continue to liaise with the shop. They have appealed to the public for any information, advising those with relevant details to contact them via 101 or the social media platform X, quoting the reference CAD3466/26APR25.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London responded by emphasising the priority placed on public safety and noted the Mayor’s record investment of £1.16 billion into policing, including improvements in Metropolitan Police call handling. They highlighted that the majority of 999 calls are now answered within ten seconds, reflecting efforts to enhance emergency response times across the city.

The incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by shopkeepers in St John’s Wood and raises questions regarding emergency service responsiveness during such events.

Source: Noah Wire Services