An Algerian thief who was caught by plainclothes officers attempting to steal a £250,000 Richard Mille watch has been jailed for two years and four months.
Brahim Keddad, 29, was spotted acting suspiciously by four officers who were patrolling in an unmarked car in central London on Friday, May 1.
The officers became suspicious of Keddad, who was paying close attention to people as they passed by while he walked slowly on Jermyn Street in the upmarket Mayfair area of the UK's capital.
One officer got out of the car to follow Keddad, who got on a Lime bike and cycled towards his victim, a Chinese tourist.
He approached the man from behind, grabbed his wrist and attempted to rip off the rare watch.
The officer caught Keddad red-handed with help from a member of the public. The officer called for backup, and other colleagues arrived within minutes to help with the arrest.
Today, Keddad, of Seven Sisters Road, Islington, was sentenced for attempted robbery at Southwark Crown Court.
The court was told that Keddad claimed he tried to grab the watch "for his daughter", who lives in France. He has 19 convictions in Spain and is wanted in Belgium, where he was sentenced to three years for theft and forgery.
Passing sentence, judge Nicholas Ainley said Keddad's victim must have been "terrified" by the sudden attack on him.
Detective Sergeant Andy Swindells, who led the investigation, said the jailing of Keddad “highlights the invaluable benefit of plain-clothed officers being on patrol”.
“We were able to spot and arrest Keddad within minutes, returning the valuable watch to its owner and preventing others who live or visit in London from being victims," he said.
‘Rolex ripper’ gangs targeting wealthy victims for their watches have blighted London’s reputation as a safe place to live and visit.
Using well-honed tactics, spotters identify a likely victim wearing a watch worth stealing in a public area, follow them and call in accomplices on scooters or in a car to carry out the theft.
But the Met Police has sought to get on the front foot and has sent officers into up-market areas of the capital to go after thieves. Some have even been used as bait to attract robbers.
The Met says its targeted action against theft and robbery continues to deliver results, with watch thefts falling across Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, where these offences are most prevalent.
Chris Marinello, who recovers stolen luxury watches and artworks, describes what makes “incredible” Richard Mille watches so desirable.
He said their distinctive design, in which the “very high precision” mechanics are on display, gives them a unique look.
“It’s a way of showing off the movement and showing off the artistry that goes into it,” Mr Marinello, the founder of Art Recovery International, told The National.
“People say to me ‘you're recovering watches now, that’s different from art”. I say absolutely not. These watches are works of art, no doubt about.”
He explained that Richard Mille is a young brand that only began in 2001 and has marketed itself through close ties to Formula 1 and tennis stars, such as Lewis Hamilton and Rafael Nadal.
In terms of the typical customer, “it’s probably a Lamborghini driver rather than a Mercedes driver – someone looking to make a statement”, he said.
Mr Marinello said the thriving secondary market for luxury watches, partly a result of limited production, means it remains worthwhile for thieves to steal them.
“What you’re seeing now is that the UK has a lack of jail space so they're releasing cop killers – what does that say to watch thieves?,” he said.
In the first six months of this year, watch thefts across the three boroughs fell by more than 50 per cent compared with the same period in 2025, from 213 offences to 97.
As a result of targeted patrols and intelligence-led operations, officers are identifying offenders, preventing crime and bringing criminals to justice, says the Met.
"The Met continues to carry out intelligence-led patrols and targeted operations to identify offenders, disrupt criminal networks and protect the public,” said Mr Swindells.
“As a result, we’re getting more offenders like Keddad off the street.”
