Watch thief who targeted a wealthy tourist for his £37,000 timepiece as he left a high-end restaurant will be deported
Algerian thief to face deportation after stealing £37,000 watch from tourist
A 19-year-old Algerian burglar who stole a £37,000 luxury watch from a foreign tourist’s wrist during a restaurant exit will face deportation after completing his prison term.
Theft Details
On February 26, 2024, Mohamed Sellaoui targeted Jiangfeng Ni, a chemistry professor at Soochow University in China, in Mayfair. Ni recounted the incident to jurors, describing how two men approached him from behind as he left Langan’s Brasserie on Stratton Street.
“The person with my watch fell over… the watch was still in his hand,” Ni stated, with the help of a Chinese interpreter.
He claimed the thieves attempted to remove the watch from his left wrist before fleeing toward Green Park station. Ni also described the confrontation, where one assailant swung a punch at him as he tried to follow.
“He was waving his fist and making ‘woo woo’ noises,” Ni explained. “He was trying to attack me and allow time for his companion to run away.”
Legal Proceedings
Prosecutor Sue Obeney questioned Ni about his experience during the assault. “My mind went blank. In my head I had to ask myself: ‘What happened?'” Ni responded.
Defense lawyer Joshua Clements disputed the professor’s account, suggesting he confused the suspects. “You got the two suspects mixed up, Mr. Ni, you cannot be sure who is who,” Clements argued.
Clements also noted that Ni had “mistakenly added extra details” not in his initial police report and took “nearly an hour” during the identity parade. “You asked to see different images 15 times. After all that, you could not have been certain,” he claimed.
Judge’s Verdict
Despite Sellaoui’s plea of not guilty, the jury convicted him of robbery following a three-day trial at Southwark Crown Court. Judge Gregory Perrins warned the teenager that deportation would follow his sentence.
“Being in mind of your age at the time, I am going to order a pre-sentence report. But you should have no illusion that you will be sentenced, and then you will be deported,” the judge said.
Clements requested a suspended sentence, highlighting Sellaoui’s youth at the time of the crime. However, the judge emphasized the suspect’s illegal status, stating: “How can I give a suspended sentence if he is here illegally?”
Investigation Overview
Detective Constable Kira Halson, leading the Met Police case, noted that addressing violent crimes like this is central to the force’s priorities. “We’ve set up local, proactive teams to deal with robberies as part of our New Met for London plan,” she said.
CCTV footage helped identify Sellaoui as a suspect, with an officer recognizing him during patrol. “Despite his young age, Sellaoui is a prolific offender,” Halson added, expressing satisfaction with the outcome for the victim.
Sellaoui will be remanded in custody for sentencing on April 9.
