The Apple Store in Covent Garden, London, has been robbed by a masked motorcycle gang, police have said.

A group of around seven moped and motorcycle riders, most riding with a passenger on the back seat, smashed through the store's windows at around 01:00 on Monday morning and stole iPads and computers.

Two men have been arrested following the smash and grab incident, the Metropolitan police said in a statement.

The men, who are aged 16 and 21, were found in a block of flats near Wyclif Court on St John Street and apprehended around 20 minutes after the break-in.

Detective Sergeant Nathan Tozer of Westminster CID said: "Although two men are in custody on suspicion of burglary, the inquiry continues and other persons are sought. It is essential that anyone who saw the smash-and-grab, or the suspects making off, contact us as soon as possible."

The news was initially broken by Rob Shoesmith, who is currently camping outside the Apple Store until the new iPhone 4S is released on Friday as part of a marketing experiment.

Shoesmith, who has been at the store since 4 October, posted images of the break-in shortly after it happened, and tweeted his reactions as the police arrived and investigated the debris.

"I was in a really deep sleep, as I'm so tired from the experiment it's unbelievable, and I heard the sound of motorbikes," he told the Huffington Post UK. "Apprently a load of motorbikes came into Covent Garden square."

Shoesmith said he did not see the motorcyclists in the store, but said the incident happened too quickly for the police to catch them in the act.

"They were in and out within about half a minute," he said.

Check back at The Huffington Post UK later today for a full piece about Shoesmith's project.