An Algerian national has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for the attempted robbery of a £250,000 Richard Mille watch from a Chinese tourist in London. Brahim Keddad, 29, was apprehended by plain clothes police officers moments after the attempted theft on April 30.
Keddad approached the victim, Sun Tao, from behind in the St. James's area of London, grabbing him by the shoulder and attempting to forcibly remove the watch from his wrist. During the struggle, Mr. Tao was pushed to the ground, sustaining injuries to his knee and elbow. Keddad shouted at Mr. Tao to "Watch, give me your watch" as he tried to remove the timepiece. Mr. Tao eventually broke free and ran away.
A plain clothes Metropolitan Police officer, who had been monitoring Keddad due to his suspicious behavior, witnessed the incident and intervened. The officer detained Keddad, who has over 20 previous convictions for theft and robbery offenses. He had previously been convicted in January for attempted theft and received a community order. He also has convictions in Spain and is wanted in Belgium.
At Southwark Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Ainley stated that Mr. Tao "must have been terrified by the suddenness of what happened to him, and the force used on him." The judge commended the officers for their swift action, noting that their intervention "might well have meant this offence was not completed."
The victim, Mr. Tao, reported feeling anxious and less safe walking alone in London following the incident. He expressed concern about being robbed again and felt more aware of not wearing valuable items in public.
Keddad's defense stated he committed the crime due to gambling debts and to support his ex-wife and young daughter in France. He was living in Islington at the time and was described as being homeless, staying with a friend. The judge rejected the defense's characterization of the robbery attempt as opportunistic, stating that Keddad was clearly "on a mission to steal and rob" and targeted Mr. Tao due to the high value of his watch.
Keddad, a French national, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was sentenced to 28 months in prison. He is expected to serve half of his sentence and may face deportation from the UK. The Metropolitan Police noted that theft and robbery rates have decreased by 14% in the capital over the past year.