A career criminal caught on CCTV lobbing smoke grenades into Claridge’s and smashing a jewellery display cabinet open with a sledgehammer was jailed for six years.
Jay McGinty, 37, tried to grab £190,000 worth of gems from the world-famous luxury Mayfair hotel – but he was thwarted by a pair of brave security staff before he could escape through its revolving doors.
The brazen would-be thief arrived on a moped with no number plate as he pulled the pin on a pair of smoke grenades shortly before 8.30pm on March 14 this year.
As the devices ignited he dashed into the lobby in full view of passers-by before setting down the grenade to create a smokescreen.
Wearing a motorcycle helmet and balaclava to obscure his identity, he then took a sledgehammer to a jewellery case as the hotel’s CCTV cameras were obscured by a thick black fog.
But his escape was thwarted by security staff who confronted him and held the revolving door shut and trapped him inside until police arrived, even as he threatened one of the brave workers with violence.
McGinty, a prolific offender with a string of convictions to his name, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated burglary at the first instance and was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court this week.
Charles Evans, prosecuting, said police were called minutes after his arrival at the hotel, as he smashed into the display case containing almost £200,000 worth of jewels.
Career criminal Jay McGinty stormed into Claridge’s in March armed with smoke grenades as he attempted to steal thousands of pounds of jewels
The 37-year-old ran into the lobby and set the grenade down, obscuring CCTV as he smashed a cabinet
He then took a sledgehammer to a cabinet containing £190,000 of jewels – but was foiled by a brave security guard
He said: ‘At approximately 8.30pm on Friday 14 March 2025, police were called to an incident at Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair, to reports of a male smashing a jewellery display case containing high value jewellery belonging to Jessica McCormack jewellers.
‘Hotel CCTV shows the defendant arriving at Claridge’s Hotel as pillion passenger on a Vespa motorcycle with no number plate being displayed.
‘The Vespa pulled up outside a side entrance to Claridge’s on Davies Street. The hotel is accessed through a revolving door. It is within that corridor, close to the revolving door that the jewellery display cabinet is situated.’
CCTV shows McGinty hopping off the scooter and pulling the pins on the grenade before reaching for an orange-handled sledgehammer stashed in the Vespa’s footwell as he rushed inside with the smoking grenades.
Mr Evans continued: ‘The defendant then set about the display cabinet with the sledgehammer. He was still wearing his motorcycle crash helmet and a balaclava beneath, no doubt as a means of concealing his identity.’
McGinty smashed his way into the cabinet and began taking jewels – but was interrupted by security guard Bright Acheampong, who rushed in as he saw smoke and heard the bangs of the thug hammering at the cabinet.
Mr Acheampong challenged McGinty as he put his hand into the cabinet and made his way to the revolving door – only to find it was jammed in place by another member of Claridge’s staff.
‘The guard grabbed hold of the defendant within the revolving door (and) the defendant, still holding the sledgehammer, shouted “don’t come near me or I’ll hit you” or words to that effect, which caused some concern to him,’ Mr Evans said.
‘However, he managed to pull the defendant out of the door and took the sledgehammer from him.’
McGinty had arrived on a moped and pulled the sledgehammer from its footwell as he rushed into Claridge’s
The moment McGinty swings his sledgehammer at the jewellery case. He would ultimately be foiled by brave security staff
The brave guard detained McGinty and called police. Staff at the hotel later recovered a 16-inch pearl necklace worth £5,000 and a pearl pendant worth £7,500 near the exit.
McGinty has 20 convictions for 38 offences, including robbery, multiple burglaries and possession of a firearm without a certificate, the court heard.
Matthew Ralston, defending, said McGinty had suffered a ‘rather troubled upbringing’ that saw him placed into care twice, and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2012.
‘Mr McGinty has always been rather matter of fact about his involvement, at the earliest occasion at the Magistrates Court, he said he was going to plead guilty,’ Mr Ralston said.
‘He has periods of manic episodes where he is rather erratic in his behaviour. It is against that background that he finds himself at the Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair.’
Wearing a grey suit with a blue tie, McGinty spoke only to confirm his name.
Sentencing him to six years imprisonment, Judge Tony Baumgartner told him: ‘I accept you suffer from a mental health disorder, most likely bipolar disorder.
‘In the opinion of the probation officer, you need to develop your thinking skills. If you do not do so, he believes there is a possibility of history repeating itself in the future. He believes you need to want to change.
‘You offered a guilty plea to this offence at the earliest opportunity. For that, I will give you full credit.’
The thief showed no emotion as he was taken to the cells.
