Three men in white boiler suits used a sledgehammer to smash their way through a security door into G H Pressley's in South Street at around 12.15pm on Tuesday.

Four staff members and three customers, including a child, watched in stunned silence and hid behind shop counters as the men smashed their way into the shop.

The robbers then used a crowbar to open an internal door which allowed them to grab around 30 Rolex watches worth £250,000 from a window display.

The men then ran out of the shop and were seen to run off down a nearby alleyway and get into a silver Ford Focus waiting in Bedford Row.
Amazed onlookers gave chase down the alleyway and managed to record the Ford Focus's number plate.

Police said the men abandoned the car shortly afterwards in Warwick Road and fled the area in a white Ford Escort van, with a number plate reading R515 CVF.

The van was also found abandoned at 4pm in Chesswood Close.
Charles Pressley, 66, whose grandfather founded the shop 100 years ago, was speaking to a supplier inside the shop when the raiders struck.

He said: "We were talking with a representative at the counter and there was this almighty bang and the front door was smashed in with sledgehammer.

"Everyone stood stock still, which was all we could do.

"It was disbelief. You can't believe it's happened. Everyone is a bit shaken."

Louise Cornford, 51, from Goring, was in the shop buying a birthday present for her daughter.

She told how she and others ducked behind a counter in fear for their lives when the raiders smashed their way into the shop.

She said: "There was glass everywhere. I just ran around the counter and crouched down with the others.

"One of them shouted 'everyone get out of the way', so we did.

"There was a little girl in there as well. We were all shaking and scared stiff. It was over in seconds. They knew what they were after.

"The staff and everybody in there were really nice afterwards and gave us cups of tea."

Owen Flack, a surveyor working on the nearby Toni and Guy hair salon, had a camera to hand and managed to photograph the raiders as they ran away.

He said: "There was some shouting and banging from inside the shop and the next thing I knew there were three guys legging it out.

"I ran over and took a couple of snaps as best I could. It was a matter of seconds and they were out of sight."

Detective Inspector Dave Wilkins, from Worthing CID, said: "There is a three-and-a-quarter-hour period where this van essentially disappeared and we need to hear from anyone who thinks they have seen it during this time.

"It is most likely that it was hidden or abandoned somewhere locally.

"It is important for us to establish the whereabouts of the van and we hope the public can assist us.

"The three men were wearing white suits and masks so would have been very distinctive. If anyone saw them in the area around mid-day, then we would urge them to come forward and contact police on 0845 6070999, quoting serial 662 of March 3. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."

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