Police have released CCTV footage of the moment a gang burst into an Altrincham jewellery store and stole watches worth more than £100,000.

Four men dressed in dark clothing and balaclavas used a battering ram to break through the security door at David M Robinson Ltd jewellers in Railway Street at around 12.20pm on Wednesday, June 10.

They pushed the shop’s security guard into the shop and ordered him to lie on the ground.

One of the men then used a metal pole to prevent security shutters from closing, while two others entered the shop and used tools to smash glass cabinets and place 13 watches worth £186,820 into a bag held by a third man.

The fourth offender then dislodged and activated the smoke cloak security system from the wall, and the four men sped off in a black Land Rover.

The vehicle was later found abandoned in Ashworth Close, Bowdon and it is now believed the offenders transferred to a second getaway car, a white Mercedes which was parked on Hopkinsfield, Bowdon.

Detective Inspector Carl Gilbert said: “We are still hunting for these men, who made off with a substantial amount of jewellery.

“Detectives are still appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the heist itself, or the offenders in the act of escaping to contact us.

“Also, new information has suggested that these men changed vehicle into a white Mercedes once they had arrived in Bowdon, which offers us another chance to possibly track these men.

“We believe they may have changed car at around 12.45pm on Wednesday, June 10, so we would like to ask anyone who may have been in the area at the time to contact police.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 7530 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.