Jay McGinty, 37, has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to steal jewellery worth approximately £190,000 from a display at Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair, London.
He pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary following an incident involving smoke grenades and a sledgehammer in March this year.
Incident Overview
McGinty arrived at the hotel’s Davies Street side entrance as a passenger on a Vespa scooter, wearing a balaclava under his crash helmet. He entered the building carrying smoke grenades and a sledgehammer.
He released the grenades in the hallway, producing thick smoke, before breaking a display case containing jewellery with the sledgehammer. CCTV footage recorded the events.
Hotel security staff detained him at the scene until police arrived. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
Legal Proceedings
At Southwark Crown Court, McGinty—who has no fixed address — was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. The Crown Prosecution Service acknowledged the role of hotel staff in preventing the theft.
Monica Oluwole of the CPS 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.”
