Watch thief who targeted a wealthy tourist for his £37,000 timepiece as he left a high-end restaurant will be deported

Algerian thief faces deportation after stealing £37,000 watch from tourist

An Algerian thief, who stole a £37,000 watch from a wealthy tourist during his exit from a high-end restaurant, faces deportation after completing his jail term.

Incident in Mayfair

On February 26, 2024, Mohamed Sellaoui, 19, targeted Jiangfeng Ni, a chemistry professor at Soochow University in China, while he was leaving Langan’s Brasserie on Stratton Street.

Mr. Ni described how he was approached by two men from behind, forcing him into a corner. One of the thieves attempted to remove his watch from the left wrist, according to his testimony at Southwark Crown Court.

Blockquote: “The person with my watch fell over… the watch was still in his hand,” the professor stated, aided by a Chinese interpreter.

He recounted the thief’s companion fleeing toward Green Park station, while the attacker made “woo woo” noises and swung a punch at him as he bent down to investigate.

Testimony and defense challenges

During the trial, Prosecutor Sue Obeney inquired about Mr. Ni’s experience of the attack. The professor replied, “My mind went blank. In my head I had to ask myself: ‘What happened?'”

Joshua Clements, Sellaoui’s defense lawyer, 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,” he stated.

Clements also noted that Mr. Ni had “mistakenly added extra details” not in his original police statement. He claimed the victim spent nearly an hour during the identity parade, asking to see different images 15 times.

However, Mr. Ni insisted, “I was quite nervous at the time, but who pushed me, it was quite obvious. I remember it clearly.”

Jury verdict and sentence

Sellaoui, supported by an Arabic interpreter, pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge. Despite his defense, a jury convicted him of the crime after a three-day trial.

Blockquote: “I am going to order a pre-sentence report,” Judge Gregory Perrins told the defendant. “But in fairness, you should have absolutely no illusion that you will be sentenced, and then you will be deported.”

The judge emphasized that Sellaoui’s illegal status meant deportation was inevitable. A suspended sentence was ruled out, as the teenager was apprehended without proper documentation.

Police investigation

Detective Constable Kira Halson, who led the Met Police’s case, highlighted the importance of addressing violent crime. “Tackling violent crime like this is a key priority for the Met,” she said.

Blockquote: “We’ve set up local, proactive teams to deal with robberies as part of our New Met for London plan,” Halson added. “CCTV enquiries quickly identified Sellaoui as a suspect, with a local officer recognizing him during a patrol and making the arrest.”

She noted Sellaoui’s history as a prolific offender, expressing satisfaction that justice was secured for the victim.