Man caught attempting to steal jewels worth £190k from Claridge’s Hotel jailed

A man who was caught trying to steal jewels worth £190,000 from Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair, using a sledgehammer and smoke grenades, has been jailed.

Jay McGinty, 37, arrived at the entrance to Claridge’s riding pillion on a Vespa scooter while wearing a balaclava underneath his crash helmet in March this year, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

He pulled the pins out of the smoke grenades as he went through the revolving doors at the side entrance to the hotel on Davies Street, and placed the grenades which billowed with dark smoke in the hallway.

As the smoke rises, he can be seen on CCTV using the sledgehammer to smash a display case containing items of jewellery.

McGinty, of no fixed abode, was later stopped by hotel security staff who managed to detain him until the police arrived.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday to six years’ imprisonment, the CPS said.

Monica Oluwole, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Jay McGinty tried to use a smokescreen to cover his brazen attempt to steal highly valued items of jewellery.

“He was caught red-handed thanks to the quick actions of the hotel security and staff who prevented him from escaping and called the police.

“This heist, although it had all the hallmarks of planning and reconnaissance work, didn’t work and we were able to make sure he was brought to justice.”

Published: 30/05/2025 by Radio NewsHub