Former UK minister Lord Darzi robbed of £175,000 Richard Mille watch on 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.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
34 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Tour de France: Spectator hit by team car during stage
An Ineos-Grenadiers team car hit and knocked down a spectator during the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycle race, TV footage showed on Saturday. The team car was in the middle of the road to the Col de Peyresourde, about 200 metres from the top of the ascent, when it struck the spectator, who was cheering the riders on.
Khaleej Times
14 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Man jailed for impersonating police offier in Dh45,000 robbery attempt
A man who impersonated a police officer in an attempt to steal Dh45,000 from an Asian man has been sentenced to three months in jail by the Dubai Criminal Court. The 45-year-old Gulf national tried to rob the victim near a currency exchange in the Naif area, acting alongside unidentified accomplices. The incident took place in April, when the victim visited a currency exchange to convert Dh45,000 into US dollars but decided not to proceed due to an unfavourable rate. According to case records, as he stepped out of the premises, the defendant and others emerged from a nearby vehicle claiming to be law enforcement officers. 'They told me I was under arrest and tried to take my bag,' the victim told investigators, adding that he resisted and shouted for help. As a crowd gathered, two men presented what appeared to be police badges, but the victim and bystanders challenged them. The suspects then fled the scene. Dubai Police launched an investigation and traced the vehicle involved. Though registered under a child's name, the car was found to be in the possession of the defendant's brother, confirming the suspect's access to it. In court, the defendant denied the robbery attempt and claimed that the victim owed him money. He told prosecutors he went to the location to collect the debt and left when others gathered and accused him of financial wrongdoing. The court rejected the defendant's claims, stating that his denial was not credible in light of the evidence. It described the argument as a tactic to avoid conviction. 'The court is not convinced by the defendant's version of events, which it views as a defence strategy aimed at evading responsibility,' the judgment stated. The defendant was found guilty of attempted theft and impersonating a police officer and was sentenced accordingly.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: 5 men jailed for robbing villa while family was away on vacation
Five men from a Central Asian country have been sentenced to three years in jail for breaking into a villa in Dubai's Jebel Ali area and stealing a safe containing cash, gold jewellery, valuable watches, and other personal items. They will be deported after serving their sentences. The Dubai Criminal Court found the men guilty of theft after reviewing evidence that they entered the country on visit visas and carried out the burglary while the homeowners were travelling abroad. The incident occurred in March when a European woman reported to the police that she had returned home with her family to find the front door of her villa unlocked and the contents of the house in disarray. According to the case file, the woman discovered that a safe containing foreign currencies, gold ornaments, expensive watches, and personal documents had been stolen. The burglars also took cheques and 10 old mobile phones that her husband had collected. A police officer involved in the investigation said a team from the Criminal Investigation Department was able to identify the suspects through surveillance footage and rental vehicle records. The car used in the crime had been leased by one of the suspects, and the group was traced to a rented apartment in another emirate. Authorities arrested the men and recovered the stolen items in their possession. The court handed down the three-year prison term and ordered that all five defendants be deported upon completion of their sentences.
