A shameless masked Croydon gang used an angle grinder to steal a moped from directly outside the entrance to Purley Way IKEA in broad daylight as horrified shoppers and security watched on. A video posted on TikTok shows the moment the gang members brazenly sent sparks flying as they cut through the locks of the moped in the car park, without any fear of being stopped or challenged.
Touseeq Haider, 26, was at Croydon IKEA with his family on Monday (July 21) and arrived exactly as the four gang members wearing helmets started breaking multiple locks on the white moped at about 5.45pm. Within minutes, he said, two of the thieves began cutting through the scooter’s locks with an angle grinder while a third kept watch.
Despite Touseeq shouting at nearby security to intervene, the gang carried on undeterred. Touseeq, who lives in Sutton, said: “They looked so professional. There were four boys. One was on the bike, two were stealing and the fourth one was walking around, keeping an eye out.”
According to Touseeq, the scooter had three different locks. Despite this, the thieves managed to steal it in just a few minutes.
He said: “They cut through the back lock first, then the handle lock and finally the front lock. It all happened in three to five minutes. One of them even gave me the middle finger before speeding off.”
Touseeq kept a safe distance while recording the thieves but bravely shouted at them and urged security to intervene. He added: “My family was terrified.
“They had all their faces and hands covered. They knew exactly what they were doing.”
The Met Police and IKEA have been contacted for comment.
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