Renowned surgeon and former UK minister Lord Darzi was robbed of his rare luxury watch during a holiday on the Italian island of Capri.
The theft happened on Sunday evening near the island’s main piazza as Lord Darzi and friends walked along Via Vittorio Emanuele, an upmarket street lined with designer shops, as they returned to his yacht.
Two men attacked Lord Darzi and stole his Richard Mille RM 07 watch, valued at more than £175,000, from his wrist before escaping on a waiting motorboat, police said. Lord Darzi was not injured in the attack.
Police are studying CCTV of the incident and have released images of two casually dressed men.
Ara Darzi, 65, holds the Paul Hamlyn chair of surgery at Imperial College London, the Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research.
He was knighted for his services to medicine and surgery in 2002 before being made a peer in 2007 when he joined Gordon Brown’s government at a health minister.
Speaking to MailOnline, Lord Darzi said his family were “all shaken up” by the incident which happened while they were on holiday after “a very busy year in the NHS”.
“The watch was a gift from the father of a patient whose life I saved six years ago,” he said.
“Sadly, like too many Brits abroad, I’ve now experienced street crime first hand. My advice to fellow holidaymakers is simple: be careful and leave your valuables at home.”
Capri's mayor, Paolo Falco offered his sympathies to Lord Darzi “on behalf of the entire administration and citizens” and “our full willingness to co-operate with the investigation”.
Mr Falco stressed such incidents were rare on the island, which is known as a popular destination for wealthy holidaymakers.
“What happened is certainly an anomaly for an island that is, and remains, profoundly safe and welcoming,” he said in a statement.
“Indeed, we fear that this was a targeted and planned action. In any case, we will strengthen security measures, even in the most central and tourist-frequented areas.”
