£2 Million Fabergé Egg Stolen from Soho Pub Hours After Display
Footage has emerged showing a £2 million Fabergé egg on display just hours before it was stolen from a Soho pub, with an expert warning it could now be in Russia, China, or the Middle East. The incident occurred on November 7, 2024, when Rosie Dawson, director of premium brands at Craft Irish Whiskey, had her £1,600 handbag snatched outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho at 9:50pm.
Luxury Items Targeted in Opportunistic Theft
Algerian thief Enzo Conticello, 29, stole the bag as Dawson greeted a friend. Inside were credit cards, a laptop, and the priceless Fabergé egg and watch, valued at over £2 million. The Dublin-based Craft Irish Whiskey, founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Jay Bradley, had commissioned Fabergé to create seven eggs and watches as part of its 'Emerald Isle Collection'. A walnut wood cabinet containing the gold jewellery alongside a bottle of 30-year-old whisky sold for $2.8 million (£2.1 million) in 2024, dubbed 'the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold'.
Video obtained by the Daily Mail shows the egg and watch on display earlier that evening at the Soho Whisky Club, a private members' club. Later, CCTV from the pub captures Conticello attempting to swipe another customer's bag inside before heading outside and taking Dawson's designer handbag, which had been left on the floor.
Expert Warns of International Smuggling
Christopher A. Marinello, CEO of Art Recovery International and a leading expert in recovering stolen artwork, stated the egg could have been moved out of Britain within hours. He suggested it may already be with a foreign buyer in Russia, China, or the Middle East. 'Normally gold will be melted down - as we saw from the Blenheim Palace golden toilet theft,' he told the Daily Mail. 'However, an item like this is a fabulous piece of jewellery manufacturing so its value would be enhanced in keeping it intact.'
Marinello explained that thieves often monetise items quickly by exporting them, especially when thefts attract significant attention. 'You could drive it out of the UK or you could put it in your suitcase and fly it out. It's not like we're dealing with a big painting or sculpture,' he said. He highlighted Russia as a likely destination due to its strong Fabergé following, where buyers might purchase stolen goods at a discount without due diligence.
Thief Jailed, Items Remain Missing
Conticello, who fled England and assumed a new identity in Northern Ireland, was eventually caught through fingerprint analysis after being arrested in Belfast for an unrelated theft on November 9, 2025. He provided fake Irish identity documents, but his fingerprints revealed his true identity. Metropolitan Police detectives travelled to Belfast to arrest him on January 26, and he was flown back to London.
In court, Conticello was sentenced to two years and three months for theft and three charges of fraud by misrepresentation, after using stolen bank cards to buy cigarettes and goods in Soho supermarkets. His lawyers insisted he had 'absolutely no idea' of the items' value and claimed he gave them away to purchase drugs, as he was a cocaine addict at the time. Prosecutor Julian Winship acknowledged Conticello did not intend to steal the Fabergé items, but noted the theft's high value.
Insurers paid out £106,700 to the drinks company, though the Fabergé sets have sold for up to $3 million each. Only seven sets exist, with three already sold. The judge, Recorder Kate Livesey KC, cited the 'incredible stress' on Dawson, who called police almost daily after the theft.
Ongoing Investigation and Appeal
Both the Fabergé egg and watch remain missing. Detective Constable Arben Morina of the Metropolitan Police urged anyone with information to come forward, stating, 'Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing.' The theft highlights a spate of luxury crimes in London, often involving organised networks that quickly export items abroad.
The Fabergé egg was part of a collection created in 2021, with each egg handcrafted from 18k yellow gold and featuring precious stones. Fabergé eggs, symbols of opulence since the Romanov dynasty, continue to be highly sought after, with a 112-year-old 'winter egg' selling for £22.9 million in December. As the search continues, authorities warn that such unique items are likely to surface eventually on the global market.
