Two men have been arrested after members of the public pinned them down following a "smash and grab" robbery at Selfridges.
The two suspects were detained after coming off their moped as they tried to make a getaway from the department store in London's busiest shopping street.
Armed police were sent to the scene after a gang wielding axes smashed cabinets to get at items during the incident in Oxford Street just before 8.30pm yesterday.
The scene of a smash and grab robbery in Selfridges, Oxford Street, London
Matthew Carrozo, 28, from east London, said he saw two men being apprehended by police shortly after the raid.
He was having a drink with a friend outside The Draft House pub at the corner of Goodge Street and Charlotte Street when he heard the sound of a moped crashing.
He said he then saw a man run out from a nearby pizza restaurant and pin down one of the two people who were riding on the vehicle.
"Someone noticed a bag had fallen off the moped and that it had opened and a bunch a watches fell out," he said. "The duffle bag was full of watches and jewellery."
He said one man was dressed in full motorcycle gear while a second man dressed in a burka had been on the back of the moped, and fell on to the ground.
"The first guy pegged it down Charlotte Street and then he was held to the ground as other people were getting involved. He really put up a struggle. When cops turned up they put him in the back of a van and he was kicking and screaming," said Carrozo.
"The other man was injured and is being attended to by paramedics.
"Apparently it was just an accident and the moped slipped on a grate on the ground.
"We were totally stunned by what we saw."
Police officers at the scene of a smash and grab robbery in Selfridges, Oxford Street, London
Witnesses to the robbery took to social media, with one person writing on Twitter: "6 guys with guns + motorcycles just ran into Selfridges smashed the counters grabbed jewelry and rode away."
Onlookers also posted photographs of the scene on Twitter, with one picture showing tiny pieces of broken glass from show cabinets that were shattered all over the floor.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Police were called at approximately 20.30 to reports of a smash and grab inside Selfridges.
"The gang armed with axes smashed cabinets before making off with items from the shop.
"It is not currently known how many people were involved."
Two of the suspects came off their moped in nearby Goodge Street, where members of the public then prevented them from leaving before officers arrived and arrested them, police added.
One of the men was taken to hospital while the second man is currently in custody.
Detectives from the Flying Squad are investigating.
A London Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed it sent one ambulance and one single response unit to Oxford Street but they were redirected to Goodge Street.
"While there they treated one patient, a man in his 20s for leg and pelvis injuries and he was taken to hospital as a priority," she added.
The drama unfolded half an hour before the world famous department store was due to close at 9pm.
A special beauty event was being held, according to the store's Twitter feed.
It later posted a message which read: "Hi, we just want to let you know that everyone is safe and the police are investigating. We will update you once we have more information."