SMASH-AND-GRAB: Chanel remains thieves’ brand of choice in London, with a pop-up store on Sloane Street, not far from Sloane Square, robbed for the third time in four months. The pop-up has been operating while the permanent Sloane Street store is being refurbished. That one is due to open this summer.
According to police, thieves reversed a van into the front window. A male driver dressed in a high-vis jacket was at the wheel and his accomplices were on mopeds. The robbery took place earlier this week, hours before the release of Chanel’s latest sneakers, which retail for 700 pounds. British media speculated that they may have been the target of the raid, since the shoes can be sold online for double the price.
Chanel had recently removed caged guard dogs from the temporary store after the brand faced significant backlash on social media. The company has declined to comment on the incident, while a spokesperson from Scotland Yard said in a statement: “At this early stage there have been no significant arrests.”
In 2016, Chanel’s Brompton Road boutique faced a similar fate and Lindsay Lohan was the first to report the early Monday morning raid. The actress posted a photo of the crime scene to her Instagram account with the caption, “Say a prayer, someone went through the window. I hope they are OK. I mean I love my #Chanel but this person means business.”
