Gangs steal £1m of watches in West End monthly

Organised gangs are stealing an average of £1 million worth of luxury watches every month in London's West End, Scotland Yard has revealed. The thefts target wealthy diners and tourists, with victims subjected to violence including punches, kicks, and threats with knives.

Metropolitan Police figures presented to Southwark Crown Court show that 97 watch robberies or attempted robberies occurred across Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hammersmith and Fulham in the first six months of 2026. A further 70 expensive watches were stolen between July and September.

Violence and Knife Threats

Detective Sergeant Andy Swindells stated that high-value watch robbery remains a significant issue in central London. According to police figures, approximately one in five watch robberies over the past six months involved a knife being seen or implied. Many victims have reported being physically assaulted during these incidents.

Mayfair and Knightsbridge have been identified as key hotspots where organised gangs target luxury watches, often operating near restaurants, hotels, and in the capital's night-time economy.

Mayfair Restaurant Robbery Sentencing

The scale of the problem was highlighted during the sentencing of three men involved in the theft of a £137,000 Richard Mille watch. The timepiece belonged to Romanian fashion entrepreneur Catalin Botezatu and was stolen outside a Mayfair restaurant on January 28.

Prosecutors told the court that Younes Djoudi, Ali Eldahouzze, and Abdel El Habchi conducted reconnaissance before confronting Mr Botezatu near Amazonico in Berkeley Square. The watch was forcibly removed from his wrist, with a sharp object allegedly used to cut the strap, causing cuts to his wrist. Mr Botezatu described fearing for his life during the incident.

Djoudi pleaded guilty to the robbery. Eldahouzze and El Habchi were convicted following a nine-day trial. The Richard Mille watch, a gift to Mr Botezatu from a deceased friend, has not been recovered.