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Robbers used professional make-up artists to disguise their appearance during a £40m gems heist in which people were shot at, a court heard.Woolwich Crown Court heard the men threatened to kill one worker in Graff Jewellers, central London, and the manager had a gun pointed at his head.
The prosecution said terrified employees handed over the jewellery, which has not been recovered.
Nine defendants deny conspiracy to rob Graff jewellers on 6 August 2009.
Prosecutor Philip Bennetts said a young woman was taken hostage at gunpoint to enable the robbers to make their way to the getaway car following the raid in Mayfair.
"The terrified employees handed over the jewels, people who attempted to impede the escape were shot at, and the bag containing the jewels was handed to the waiting motorcyclist who made his escape," Mr Bennetts said.
He said the victims were "the real centre of this case, not the value of jewels that were taken".
Manager Martin Leggatt was spread-eagled on the floor with a gun pointed at his head and shop assistant Petra Ehnar was told she would be killed if she did not carry out the robbers' demands, he said.
"It is obvious to state that a robbery in that environment is one where the stakes are high and which requires meticulous planning," Mr Bennetts added.
The nine defendants are:
• Aman Kassaye, 24, of no fixed address
• Craig Calderwood, 27, of no fixed address
• Solomun Beyene, 25, of Lilestone Street, Marylebone, north-west London
• Clinton Jamal Mogg, 42, of Westby Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
• Courtney Lawrence, 31, of Ladbroke Grove, west London
• Gregory Jones, 30, of Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale, west London
• Benjamine McFarlane, 22, of Paveley Street, Marylebone, north-west London
• David Joseph, 23, of Flaxman Road, Loughborough Junction, south-east London
• Thomas Thomas, 45, of Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, south-west London
Mr Kassaye also denies kidnap and possession of a handgun and sawn-off shotgun.
Mr Calderwood also denies possessing a handgun and sawn-off shotgun.
The trial continues.This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.