Gang jailed for £137,000 watch robbery in Mayfair

An average of £1 million worth of watches are stolen from Londoners and visitors in the West End every month, the Metropolitan Police has reported. Between January and June 2026, 97 watch robberies, including attempts, occurred across Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster, amounting to millions of pounds in stolen property.

Sentencing for Mayfair robbery

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The figures emerged during the sentencing hearing at Southwark Crown Court for Younes Djoudi, Ali Eldahouzze, and Abdel El Habchi, who stole a diamond-encrusted Richard Mille watch valued at £137,000. The theft occurred just before midnight on 28 January 2026 from Romanian entrepreneur Catalin Botezatu.

Djoudi, 34, received a sentence of five years and nine months imprisonment. Eldahouzze, 22, was given three years and six months, and El Habchi, 30, was sentenced to five years and six months. The judge, Dafna Spiro, noted that robberies of expensive watches are a common occurrence in London, undermining public confidence and damaging the city's reputation.

Detective Sergeant Andy Swindells of the Metropolitan Police stated that despite efforts, high-value watch robbery remains a problem in the West End, with approximately £1 million stolen monthly. He added that violence, including victims being punched, kicked, and injured, has been involved in many of these robberies. Around a third of watch robberies occur within the West End, often linked to the night-time economy, with suspects targeting various items from victims.

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Robbery details and victim impact

The specific hotspots for targeted watch thefts are Mayfair and Knightsbridge, according to Detective Sergeant Swindells. Mr Botezatu described fearing for his life when he was accosted outside the Latin American restaurant Amazonico in Berkeley Square. He was smoking with a friend near his car when the trio surrounded him and took the watch from his left wrist. A sharp implement was used to cut the strap, causing cuts to his wrists.

Mr Botezatu testified that he was pushed into a fence and restrained. He expressed disbelief that such an event could happen in London, especially in front of a luxury restaurant. He stated that due to his medical history, including cancer operations and having five stents, any blow or cut could have been fatal. The watch held significant sentimental value, having been a gift from a close friend who is now deceased.

Defendants' backgrounds and convictions

Djoudi pleaded guilty to the robbery and has prior convictions for watch-related crimes in 2014 and 2017. He is subject to an active deportation order and has no right to remain in the UK. El Habchi and Eldahouzze were convicted after a nine-day trial. El Habchi, a social media influencer in Morocco, claimed he did not realise a robbery was about to happen and played no part. Eldahouzze stated Djoudi threatened him if he did not snatch the watch. Eldahouzze arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child aged 14 and has leave to remain until 2028. Incriminating messages, including a picture of the stolen watch, were found on Eldahouzze’s phone. The watch has not been recovered.

Detective Inspector Tom Revell commended the work of the investigating officers, stating that CCTV inquiries and intelligence checks led to the identification, arrest, charging, and conviction of the robbers. He noted that the defendants threatened violence to steal the watch, causing significant distress to the victim.