West End Watch Thefts Reach £1 Million Monthly

Violent robbers are stealing an estimated £1 million worth of watches each month in London's West End, according to data released by the Metropolitan Police. Between January and June of this year, there were 97 reported watch robberies, including attempted thefts, resulting in the loss of millions of pounds in property. A further 70 expensive watches were stolen between July and September.

The figures emerged during the sentencing of three men, Younes Djoudi, Ali Eldahouzze, and Abdel El Habchi, for the theft of a £137,000 Richard Mille watch from Romanian entrepreneur Catalin Botezatu. The incident occurred on January 28, when the men accosted Mr. Botezatu outside a Berkeley Square restaurant. A sharp implement was used to cut through the watch's strap, causing injuries to his wrist. The watch has not been recovered.

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 in prison. Judge Dafna Spiro remarked that London should be a safe city for those it attracts.

In 20% of watch robberies over the past six months, a knife was either seen or implied. Across the Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster areas, there were 1,196 general robberies between January and June.

The West End has seen a spate of high-profile watch muggings in recent years, 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 high-value thefts have gone unsolved.

Another case involved the theft of a £65,000 Patek Philippe watch from a Tim Hortons executive on New Bond Street in Mayfair in June 2024. CCTV footage captured the brazen snatching of the watch from the businessman's wrist.