The Graff Diamonds store in New Bond Street, London

People and places in London have been the target of some infamous robberies down the years.

The Top 10 of London by Alexander Ash, published by Hamlyn

Here is a Top 10 of the most valuable heists carried out, or attempted, in the capital.

1. City of London, 1990, £292m: Carrying Bank of England Treasury bills, a 58-year-old messenger was mugged at knifepoint.

2. Millennium Dome, 2000, £200m: Foiled mid-way through the act, robbers used a JCB digger to smash through a vault containing diamonds.

3. Knightsbridge, 1987, £60m: With inside help, 120 safe deposit boxes were broken into at a warehouse opposite Harrods.

4. Bond Street, 2009, £40m: After using a professional make-up artist to disguise themselves, two men held up the Graff Diamonds branch, making off with 43 items.

5. Heathrow Airport, 1983, £26m: Robbers broke into a warehouse, taking three tonnes of gold.

6. Bond Street, 2003, £23m: Members of the Pink Panther international jewel thief network stole 47 pieces of jewellery from Graff Diamonds.

7. Sloane Street, 2007, £10m: Two men held up a Graff Diamonds branch, taking jewellery.

8. Mayfair, 1975, £8m: A gang raided a Bank of America branch using inside help.

9. Hatton Gardens, 1993, £7m: Graff Diamonds workshop was targeted.

10. Shoreditch, 1983, £6m: A gang broke into the Security Express depot, taking cash.

This list is featured in The Top 10 of London, a book by Alexander Ash, published by Hamlyn, £10 www.octopusbooks.co.uk