Video shows luxury watch thieves caught in undercover sting as dozens of gang members arrested
Police have engaged in a number of operations after over 300 watches were stolen in three London boroughs, ITV News' Leyla Hayes reports
Dozens of people have been arrested a series of undercover operations targeting gangs suspected of stealing luxury watches in London.
CCTV footage released by the Metropolitan Police of one sting shows a plain-clothed officer, wearing a high-end watch, approached by suspects before he was attacked.
Police then swarm the men and quickly arrest them.
CCTV footage released by the Metropolitan Police of one sting shows a plain-clothed officer, wearing a high-end watch, approached by suspects before he was attacked
Between April and September 2022 there were over 300 luxury watches stolen across the three boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham.
Victims had typically been leaving pubs and nightclubs when they were attacked and most were intoxicated and in a vulnerable state.
They were either lured into quiet side streets with the offer of drugs or sex workers, or attacked violently from behind before being robbed.
Overall both operations resulted in 31 arrests and 27 successful charges, leading to 21 convictions to date.
Of this group, 14 individuals have so far been sentenced to a total of 26 years overall, with other cases pending.
Since the operation began, the number of watch robberies was halved across those same three boroughs, 113 in July 2022 down to 55 in July 2023.
“Using data and intelligence, we identified the locations and times where these crimes were taking place and deployed undercover officers into the area, as part of our precision-based approach to fighting crime," Ben Russell, Commander for Met Intelligence, said.
“By targeting the people causing the most harm and the locations most frequently linked to crime, we are having a greater impact on keeping our communities safe.
“Undercover operations will always carry an element of personal danger and, while we risk assess all our operations thoroughly, all the officers involved demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination.”
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