Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London: A gang of masked teenagers stormed an Apple store in Brent Cross shopping centre, making off with an estimated £50,000 worth of mobile phones in a lightning-fast raid.

Shocking footage of the incident shows the thieves, all dressed in black, overwhelming security staff and grabbing around 50 mobile phones in just 24 seconds. Terrified shoppers and their children were forced to flee as the youths helped themselves to the displayed devices.

The incident occurred on Sunday, 5 January, at approximately 14:35. Despite attempts by security to refuse entry to the masked group, the youths forced their way into the store, allegedly threatening staff with knives and boasting about their weapons.

Prosecutor Lisa Wren described the scene at Willesden Magistrates’ Court: "The group forced entry by pushing the security guard, some of the group…saying they had knives and reaching for their waistbands, making remarks like ‘I’m going to back up my shank’."

Swift action by the police resulted in the apprehension of most of the suspects and the recovery of a significant number of the stolen phones. The IMEI numbers of the stolen devices aided in their identification and recovery.

Five teenagers have been charged with robbery in connection with the incident:

• Mycah Omo-Idahosa, 18, from Lambeth

• Two 15-year-old boys from Lambeth

• A 14-year-old boy from Croydon

• A 16-year-old boy from Cambridge

Omo-Idahosa and one of the 15-year-olds pleaded not guilty, while the 14-year-old pleaded guilty. The remaining two youths offered no indication of plea.

The 14-year-old will appear at Croydon Youth Court on 7 February for a pre-sentence hearing. The remaining defendants will appear at Harrow Crown Court on 4 February.

Oma-Idahosa and one of the 15-year-olds have been remanded in custody. The other defendants were granted bail with strict conditions, including curfews between 19:00 and 07:00.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests and stated that the investigation is ongoing.