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The National
a day ago
- The National
Rolex Rippers jailed after attack outside Mayfair Rolls-Royce showroom
Three men have been jailed after targeting victims for their expensive watches in London's Rolex Ripper crime wave. They struck in upmarket areas of the British capital, including one attack outside a Rolls-Royce showroom in Stratton Street, Mayfair. Metropolitan Police detectives used CCTV to identify the trio of violent repeat offenders who carried out two robberies on consecutive days. They discovered the men had been carrying out surveillance on their victims before pouncing. In a well-honed tactic, spotters identify a likely victim wearing a watch worth stealing in a public area, follow them and call in accomplices on scooters or a car to carry out the theft. In this case, victim Michail Rivas was surrounded by the men, with their faces covered, who jumped out of a white BMW and grabbed his Mido Baroncelli Moonphase Chronograph watch worth £1,000. The robbers, Tedros Haile, Mahad Jammeh and Christian Whittingham, carried out another attack later the same night, targeting Mark Jackson and Oliver Wragg in nearby Brewer Street, Soho. The victims were wearing short-sleeved tops, which put their expensive watches on show. Mr Jackson was hit on the head with a hard object then punched several times. His £600 Audermars Piguet replica watch was taken. At Southwark Crown Court, Judge Christopher Hehir said the men 'were clearly looking to identify members of the public wearing valuable wrist watches'. The number of watches stolen in England and Wales almost doubled to 11,035 a year between 2015 and 2022, according to figures from Watchfinder UK, in a surge that became known as the Rolex Ripper crime wave. London is the centre, with a 56 per cent rise in thefts and 6,000 watches stolen last year alone. International business executives have voiced concern about visiting even the most high-end parts of the city for fear their expensive watches will be stolen. Last year, the jailing of Algerian watch thieves exposed a crime network operating from North Africa to the UK to carry out the lucrative robberies. Using background details provided by the Met Police about the Algerian-led gang, court documents and coverage of their trial, as well as speaking to experts, The National pieced together how they went about their work and how the booming market in stolen watches drew them to the streets of London. The Met has been trying to curb the robberies by targeting hotspots with increased patrols. In a statement about the recent attacks, the force said: 'Three victims across Stratton Street and Brewer Street were threatened with violence as they tried to prevent the robbers from making off with their high-value watches – two of which were stolen.' It said the offenders were arrested on July 30 and clothing worn at the time of the offences was recovered, linking them to the crimes. Det Insp Lizzie Beeston, who led the Met's investigation, said tackling violent crime was a priority for the police force. 'Every robbery has a significant impact on the victim. This is a violent crime that leaves a significant, lasting effect on the victim,' she added. Haile, 35, of Hammersmith, was jailed for 11 years after admitting one robbery and being found guilty of one robbery and one attempted robbery. Mahad Jammeh, 24, of Enfield, was sentenced to eight years and Christian Whittingham, 27, of Uxbridge, received 10 years and six months for the same offences.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
'Rolex rippers' who robbed people on the streets of Mayfair and London's West End are jailed for 30 years
Three 'Rolex rippers' who beat up their victims in central London before grabbing expensive watches off their wrists have been jailed for a total of 30 years. Tedros Haile, 35, Mahad Jammeh, 24, and Christian Whittingham, 27, carried out a series of attacks on the streets of Mayfair and the West End on June 25 last year. The trio targeted Michail Rivas outside the Rolls Royce showroom in Stratton Street as they surrounded him after jumping out of a white BMW wearing face coverings. They grabbed Mr Rivas' Mido Baroncelli Moonphase Chronograph worth £1,000 and quickly made off in the getaway car. Mr Rivas later said he felt the watch could not be replaced as it had sentimental value and added he was apprehensive leaving his flat the next morning. Later that night the thieves targeted Mark Jackson and Oliver Wragg in Brewer Street. Both were wearing short sleeved tops and expensive looking watches after a night out watching football. Mr Jackson felt a hard object hit him behind his head then was hit with multiple full force fist punches. He heard one of the thugs saying 'get his watch' and one say 'stab him in the face'. One of the robbers put Mr Wragg in a chokehold from behind and he gave up his £600 Audemars Piguet replica watch. The muggers made a getaway in the BMW they had used for both robberies. Jammeh has 11 previous convictions for robbery dating back to when he was 15. Haile was in breach of a suspended sentence order for a burglary where he and another man broke into a flat where a woman was present. Haile was earlier jailed for 11 years and Jammeh was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. Whittingham became the third member of the gang to be jailed when he was sentenced to ten years and six months imprisonment on Friday last week at Southwark Crown Court. Judge Christopher Hehir said the robbers 'were clearly looking to identify members of the public wearing valuable wrist watches'. He added: 'These were planned and group offences - involving multiple people attacking one or two people.' Haile, of Guinness Trust Buildings, Fulham Palace Road, admitted one count of robbery and denied but was convicted of one count of robbery and one of attempted robbery. Jammeh, of Welch House, Beaconsfield Road, Enfield, and Whittingham, of Granvill Road, Uxbridge, admitted two counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery. Detective Inspector Lizzie Beeston, who led the Met's investigation, said: 'Our investigation has ensured three violent offenders have been removed from our streets. 'Every robbery has a significant impact on the victim. This is a violent crime that leaves a significant, lasting effect on the victim. 'Tackling violent crime in all its forms is one of the Met's priorities and we are determined to reduce the number of robberies. As part of the New Met for London Plan, localised proactive teams have been set up to deal with robberies affecting our local communities.'
