Watch Robberies Surge in London's West End, Costing Millions Monthly
Met Police report over 160 high-value watch thefts between January and September, with a knife involved in one-fifth of incidents.
Robbers are stealing an estimated £1 million worth of watches each month in London's West End, according to Metropolitan Police figures. Between January and June of this year, 97 watch robberies, including attempted thefts, resulted in millions of pounds in stolen property. An additional 70 expensive watches were taken between July and September.
In 20 percent of watch robberies over the past six months, a knife was either seen or implied. General robberies also saw a significant increase, with 1,196 incidents reported across Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster from January to June.
These figures emerged during the Southwark Crown Court sentencing of Younes Djoudi, Ali Eldahouzze, and Abdel El Habchi. The three men were convicted for the January 28 theft of a diamond-encrusted Richard Mille watch, valued at £137,000, from Romanian entrepreneur Catalin Botezatu. The court heard that a sharp implement was used to cut through the watch's strap, causing cuts to Mr. Botezatu's wrists. The watch has not been recovered.
The trio had conducted a "reconnaissance operation" before accosting Mr. Botezatu outside the Amazonico restaurant in Berkeley Square. Djoudi received a sentence of five years and nine months, Eldahouzze was sentenced to three years and six months, and El Habchi was given five years and six months. Judge Dafna Spiro remarked that London should be a "safe city" for all visitors.
High-profile watch muggings have become a recurring issue in the West End, with gangs known as 'Rolex rippers' targeting individuals for their high-end timepieces. One notable incident involved the gunpoint robbery of a £70,000 diamond-encrusted watch from former world boxing champion Amir Khan in April 2022. While Khan's watch was recovered and later auctioned for charity, other incidents have seen valuable watches stolen with no recovery.
In another case, an illegal Algerian migrant was involved in the theft of a £65,000 Patek Philippe timepiece from a businessman on New Bond Street in Mayfair in June 2024. CCTV footage captured an accomplice snatching the watch from the victim's wrist.
"Despite all of our efforts, high value watch robbery remains a problem in the West End, and we average about £1million stolen from the wrists of Londoners and visitors every month," said Met Police spokesman Andy Swindells.