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

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

A 19-year-old Algerian thief, accused of stealing a £37,000 watch from a wealthy tourist, is set for deportation after his jail sentence. The incident took place in Mayfair, where he ambushed Jiangfeng Ni, a chemistry professor from Soochow University in China, as he exited Langan’s Brasserie on Stratton Street.

Jiangfeng Ni recounted the attack to jurors, describing how two men approached him from behind and forced him into a corner. One of the assailants attempted to remove his Patek Phillipe timepiece from his left wrist, prompting a frantic escape toward Green Park station. ‘The person with my watch fell over… the watch was still in his hand,’ the professor said, using a Chinese interpreter to clarify his account.

‘My mind went blank. In my head I had to ask myself: “What happened?”’ Ni told the court, emphasizing the shock of the assault.

Defense lawyer Joshua Clements questioned the professor’s identification, suggesting he confused the suspects. He noted that Ni had added ‘extra details’ not in his initial police report and took ‘nearly an hour’ during the identity parade, reviewing images 15 times. ‘After all that, you could not have been sure who the suspect was,’ Clements argued, highlighting the uncertainty.

Ni, however, insisted his ‘very good eyesight’ allowed him to distinguish the attacker. ‘I was quite nervous at the time, but who pushed me, it was quite obvious,’ he stated, reaffirming his confidence in the testimony.

Sellaoui pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge but was convicted by a jury following a three-day trial at Southwark Crown Court. Judge Gregory Perrins announced the deportation order, stating, ‘Being in mind of your age at the time, I am going to order a pre-sentence report. But in fairness, you should have absolutely no illusion that you will be sentenced, and then you will be deported.’

Despite his youth, Sellaoui is labeled a ‘prolific offender’ by Detective Constable Kira Halson, who led the Met Police investigation. She praised the secure conviction, noting that CCTV footage and a local officer’s recognition during patrol swiftly identified the suspect. ‘Tackling violent crime like this is a key priority for the Met,’ she added, highlighting the effectiveness of the New Met for London initiative.