"Lamp-post thieves crash into Prada hand bags as they flee"

From The Evening Standard:

Thieves who stole thousands of pounds worth of lamp-post had to abandon part of their haul when they crashed into the Prada shop window as they tried to flee.

The gang of four men uprooted a lamp-post - which can sell for upwards of £2,000 - in the robbery at around 1.25am. However as the raiders made their escape, one of the mopeds crashed into the windows of the Italian designer brand’s flagship store on Old Bond Street in the early hours of this morning.

The men escaped however. When police arrived at the scene they recovered the sodium bulb and several yards of copper cable. A Met Police spokeswoman said there had been no arrests and officers are investigating.

It comes after a spate of lamp-post thefts by gangs on motorbikes or mopeds.

In September armed police swooped on a gang early as they tried to uproot street lighting at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford. Flying Squad and armed officers ambushed the raiders as they dug up the pavement with axes and hammers. Four men were arrested at the scene while a fifth was arrested later at his home in Islington.

In June smash and grab thieves were chased through London at high speed by police cars and a helicopter after taking a traffic light from in front of the Apple Store in Regent Street. Five suspects on three scooters were seen breaking a 40cm hole through the asphalt with a power drill. But they fled empty-handed as police arrived. Two men, aged 18 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary and dangerous driving.