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The Independent
10-07-2025
- The Independent
Moment Rolex robbers caught by police posing as rich couple
Showing now | News 00:51 A team of Rolex thieves were snared by undercover police officers posing as a wealthy couple in Mayfair, London. Yakob Harket, 21, of no fixed address, and Mohamed Naas, 35, of Jamaica Road, Southwark, were arrested after Harket attempted to steal a high-value watch from plain-clothed officers in Hays Mews at around 6.15pm on 10 October, last year. Harket pleaded guilty to robbery and Naas was found guilty following a trial at Southwark Crown Court on 11 April. Harket was jailed for two years while Naas was jailed for three years. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Uniform and plain clothes officers proactively patrol robbery hotspots to identify offences taking place, but more importantly to help prevent and deter offenders from committing robberies in the first place.'
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Telegraph
Watch: ‘Rolex rippers' caught by police posing as rich couple
A pair of 'Rolex rippers' targeted two undercover police officers posing as a wealthy couple wearing fake designer watches. CCTV footage shows Algerian Yakob Harket, 21, stealing a replica Patek Philippe rose gold watch from the female officer's wrist in Mayfair. The officers, who cannot be named, had worn expensive clothes and accessories to act as bait in October last year. In the video, they tackle Harket while another male officer wearing a suit runs over and slips as he wrestles with the robber. Harket is seen running away as a team of undercover officers arrest two of his associates. However, he was arrested shortly afterwards and admitted robbery at Southwark Crown Court. Mohamed Naas, 35, was convicted of robbery by a jury after a three day trial. Yanis Amri, 37, and Adel Mohamdi, 31, were convicted in their absence after they absconded. Stealing to order The judge, Mr Recorder Jacques Algazy, KC, told Harket and Naas, assisted in the dock by an Arabic interpreter: 'This was highly organised crime involving stealing to order. This was motivated by greed, not need.' Harket was jailed for two years after the judge took into account his guilty plea while fellow Algerian, Naas, was jailed for three years. The pair will be released on licence after serving only half their sentences. Jurors were shown several clips of the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hay's Mews on the evening of Oct 10. Naas, Amri and Mohamdi had followed the couple relaying information to Harket. Moments later Harket was seen reaching forward to grab Officer A's wrist. Naas told police he had woken up at a friend's house, had lunch and went to Tottenham Court road for cigarettes. He then met Mohamdi for coffee. He claimed they ended up in Shepherd's Market. Henry Laidlaw, prosecuting, said: 'Mr Naas said the robbery happened right in front of him. He said he knew Harket but they had never had a conversation. 'The prosecution's case, as evidenced by the phone, is he knew Harket well and had a lot of communication in the months leading up to the robbery. 'Phones were downloaded and a number of internet searches had been made by Naas on 9 October for Richard Mille watches.' He added that Naas was 'doing his homework' and one of the searches related to a Rafael Nadal – Richard Mille watch worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. 'It is the prosecution's case that Naas was an essential cog in a machine and played a knowing and willing part in the robbery,' Mr Laidlaw added. 'There was a degree of targeting of vulnerable individuals – they targeted the female officer. There was very significant force used,' he added. Sasha Queffurus, defending Harket, told the court he had only recently come to the UK looking for work. She said 'very sadly' his mother died from cancer in Algeria 'and he didn't have the opportunity to say goodbye to her. He is ashamed by what he has done.' Naas denied but was convicted of robbery. Mohamdi and Amri were convicted of robbery in their absence while Harket admitted the offence.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Algerian Rolex rippers who targeted undercover police posing as rich couple for their designer watches are jailed for total of five years
Two 'Rolex rippers' have been jailed for a total of five years after targeting undercover police officers who were posing as a wealthy couple bearing fake designer watches. CCTV footage showed how Algerian national Yakob Harket, 21, grabbed a replica Patek Philippe rose gold aquanaut watch from the female officer's wrist in Mayfair, west London. He has now admitted robbery, alongside fellow defendant Mohamed Naas, 35, who was convicted of robbery by a jury after a three-day trial. The police officers, who cannot be named, had donned expensive clothes and accessories to act as bait on October 10 last year. They were seen tackling Harket while another male officer wearing a suit ran over and slips while wrestling with the robber. Harket was filmed running away as a team of undercover officers arrested two of his associates on the other side of the street. Harket was arrested shortly afterwards and admitted robbery at Southwark Crown Court. Yanis Amri, 37, and Adel Mohamdi, 31, have now been convicted in their absence after they absconded. Arrest warrants were issued for the pair earlier this year. The crown court judge Mr Recorder Jacques Algazy KC told Harket and Naas, who were assisted in the dock by an Arabic interpreter, how their offence had been a 'highly organised crime involving stealing to order'. He added: 'This was motivated by greed, not need.' Harket was jailed for two years after the judge took into account his guilty plea, while fellow Algerian Naas was jailed for three years. The pair are set to be released on licence after serving only half their sentences. Henry Laidlaw, prosecuting, described how the undercover officers referred to as A and B had been 'tasked with walking around while posing as a wealthy couple'. He told the court: 'Each were wearing expensive watches. Officer B (male) was wearing a Rolex Sky Dealer watch, worth £40,000. 'Officer A (female) was wearing a replica Patek Philippe rose gold aquanaut watch. The real version had a value of approximately £70,000.' Jurors were shown several clips showing the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hay's Mews on the evening of October 10. Naas, Amri and Mohamdi had followed the couple relaying information to Harket - and moments later Harket was seen reaching forward to grab Officer A's wrist. Mr Laidlaw told the court: 'He ripped the Patek Philippe watch off her wrist but dropped it, so it was recovered. 'You will have seen there, there were a large number of plain clothes officers who sprang into action. Mohamadi and Naas were arrested right next to the offence.' Harket and Amri were arrested in the area minutes later. Naas told police he had woken up at a friend's house in Edgware Road, central London, before having lunch and going to Tottenham Court road for cigarettes and then meeting Mohamdi for coffee and they ended up in Shepherd's Market in Mayfair. The prosecutor Mr Laidlaw said: 'Mr Naas said the robbery happened right in front of him. He said he knew Harket but they had never had a conversation. 'The prosecution's case, as evidenced by the phone, is he knew Harket well and had a lot of communication in the months leading up to the robbery. 'Phones were downloaded and a number of internet searches had been made by Naas on 9 October for Richard Mille watches.' Pictured left to right: Yanis Amri and Adel Mohamdi, convicted in their absence He added that Naas was 'doing his homework' and one of the searches related to a Rafael Nadal Richard Mille watch worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mr Laidlaw added: 'Mr Naas did exactly what he was required to do, make sure they were under observation at all times. 'It is the prosecution's case that Naas was an essential cog in a machine and played a knowing and willing part in the robbery. 'There was a degree of targeting of vulnerable individuals - they targeted the female officer. There was very significant force used. 'The officer was clearly pulled to the ground and the watch was yanked from her wrist.' Sasha Queffurus, defending Harket, told the court he had only recently come to the UK looking for work while describing how his mother had 'very sadly' died from cancer in Algeria 'and he didn't have the opportunity to say goodbye to her'. She added of Harket: 'He is ashamed by what he has done.' Naas denied but was convicted of robbery, Mohamdi and Amri were convicted of robbery in their absence while Harket admitted the offence. Mayfair now has the highest rate for watch robberies in Europe. In April another Algerian, 28-year-old Anis Benemri, was jailed for 32 months for robbing tourist Karl Christian Septien of his £250,000 'Bubba Watson' watch in front of his children outside the Novikov Restaurant on Berkeley Street. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Tackling violent crime is one of the Met's priorities and we are determined to reduce the number of robberies. 'Uniform and plain clothes officers proactively patrol robbery hotspots to identify offences taking place, but more importantly to help prevent and deter offenders from committing robberies in the first place.'
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Moment brazen ‘Rolex Ripper' gang snared after trying to mug undercover cops in botched robbery – as they're jailed
THIS is the moment a gang of brazen "Rolex Rippers" were snared while trying to mug undercover cops in a botched robbery. Yakob Harket, 21, was filmed walking behind the two officers who were posing as a wealthy couple as they walked through Mayfair. 6 CCTV showed Yakob Harket approaching the undercover police from behind Credit: Central News 6 A scuffle broke out as he tried to grab a watch from one of them Credit: Central News 6 He was later taken down by a group of plain clothed officers Credit: Central News CCTV showed him pouncing on the pair from behind before reaching out to snatch an exposed watch from the female cop's wrist. Both officers then chased Harket down with two other cops before tackling him to the ground. More officers then rushed in on bikes as they discovered another three suspected accomplices lurking nearby. Harket and another man, Mohamed Naas, 34, were arrested shortly afterwards. The pair have now been jailed for a total of five years after they were convicted of robbery. Mr Recorder Jacques Algazy KC, told Harket and Naas, assisted in the dock by an Arabic interpreter: "This was highly organised crime involving stealing to order. "This was motivated by greed, not need." Harket was jailed for two years after the judge took into account his guilty plea while Naas was jailed for three years. They were accused of being a part of a "Rolex ripper" gang who target wealthy people and steal their jewellery. Officers launched the sting operation after carrying out similar undercover missions across London. The cops posed as a rich couple with posh clothes and expensive replica jewellery to lure the gang. The male officer was wearing a £40,000 Rolex Sky Dealer watch, while the female cop had a replica Patek Philippe Rose Gold watch. Jurors were shown several clips of the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hays Mews on the evening of October 10 last year. Harket managed to rip the replica Patek Philippe, which would be worth £70,000, from the female officer's watch but dropped it in the chase. Adel Mohamdi, 31, and Yanis Amri, 37, had also followed the couple but managed to flee - with a warrant still out for their arrest. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Tackling violent crime is one of the Met's priorities and we are determined to reduce the number of robberies. "Uniform and plain clothes officers proactively patrol robbery hotspots to identify offences taking place, but more importantly to help prevent and deter offenders from committing robberies in the first place." 6 Harket momentarily evaded the cops but he was chased away and caught minutes later Credit: Central News 6 He has now been jailed for his role in the gang Credit: Central News
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Moment brazen ‘Rolex Ripper' gang snared after trying to mug undercover cops in botched robbery – as they're jailed
THIS is the moment a gang of brazen "Rolex Rippers" were snared while trying to mug undercover cops in a botched robbery. Yakob Harket, 21, was filmed walking behind the two officers who were posing as a wealthy couple as they walked through Mayfair. Advertisement 6 CCTV showed Yakob Harket approaching the undercover police from behind Credit: Central News 6 A scuffle broke out as he tried to grab a watch from one of them Credit: Central News 6 He was later taken down by a group of plain clothed officers Credit: Central News CCTV showed him pouncing on the pair from behind before reaching out to snatch an exposed watch from the female cop's wrist. Both officers then chased Harket down with two other cops before tackling him to the ground. More officers then rushed in on bikes as they discovered another three suspected accomplices lurking nearby. Harket and another man, Mohamed Naas, 34, were arrested shortly afterwards. Advertisement Read more news The pair have now been jailed for a total of five years after they were convicted of robbery. Mr Recorder Jacques Algazy KC, told Harket and Naas, assisted in the dock by an Arabic interpreter: "This was highly organised crime involving stealing to order. "This was motivated by greed, not need." Harket was jailed for two years after the judge took into account his guilty plea while Naas was jailed for three years. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Exclusive They were accused of being a part of a "Rolex ripper" gang who target wealthy people and steal their jewellery. Officers launched the sting operation after carrying out similar undercover missions across London. The cops posed as a rich couple with posh clothes and expensive replica jewellery to lure the gang. The male officer was wearing a £40,000 Rolex Sky Dealer watch, while the female cop had a replica Patek Philippe Rose Gold watch. Advertisement Jurors were shown several clips of the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hays Mews on the evening of October 10 last year. Harket managed to rip the replica Patek Philippe, which would be worth £70,000, from the female officer's watch but dropped it in the chase . Adel Mohamdi, 31, and Yanis Amri, 37, had also followed the couple but managed to flee - with a warrant still out for their arrest. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Tackling violent crime is one of the Met's priorities and we are determined to reduce the number of robberies. Advertisement "Uniform and plain clothes officers proactively patrol robbery hotspots to identify offences taking place, but more importantly to help prevent and deter offenders from committing robberies in the first place." 6 Harket momentarily evaded the cops but he was chased away and caught minutes later Credit: Central News 6 He has now been jailed for his role in the gang Credit: Central News 6 Mohamed Naas was also locked up Credit: Central News Advertisement
