Three Gang Members Receive 51-Year Combined Sentence for £1.1 Million Watch Heist
Three members of a criminal gang have been jailed for a total of 51 years today for their roles in a violent robbery that saw £1.1 million worth of luxury watches stolen from a Richmond jewellery store. The tragic incident led directly to the suicide of the shop manager, Oliver White, who was restrained with cable ties during the raid.
Details of the Robbery and Sentencing
Mannix Pedro, 37, was described as the "general" who organised the robbery and supplied a stolen Audi as a getaway vehicle. He received a 20-year prison sentence. Kyle Mehmet, 40, who tied up and held Mr White in a headlock during the theft, was jailed for 18 years. Michael Holmes, 34, who participated in a "dry run" two days before the actual robbery, was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
The robbery occurred on May 25, 2024, at the 247 Kettles store on Kew Road in Richmond. Seventy uninsured watches were stolen, including a £30,000 Rolex Sky Dweller. The business owners, Conor Thornton and Joe Riley, were in New York at the time of the incident and flew back to London immediately for what was described as an "intense" meeting with Mr White the following day.
Tragic Consequences for Shop Manager
Oliver White, 27, was so devastated by allegations that he did nothing to resist the robbers that he took his own life the day after the meeting. He travelled to woods in Shepperton, where he had played as a boy, and ended his life there.
In court, impact statements from Mr White's mother, Amy Keane, and his girlfriend, Alana Dredge, revealed the profound emotional toll of his death. Ms Dredge stated that the accusations "broke him" and that they had been planning a future together, including saving for a house deposit.
Judge Philip Shorrock described the robbery as "a commercial robbery of the most serious kind" and noted that Mr White suffered "extreme psychological harm" as a direct result of the crime. The judge acknowledged that while the death might not have been intended, it was nevertheless a consequence of the robbery.
Organised Crime Connections and Missing Evidence
During the trial, jurors heard claims that 247 Kettles was run as a "front for organised crime" by Maurice Sines and his son Fred Sines. Fred Sines, 37, who attended the meeting with Mr White after the robbery, had previously received a suspended jail sentence for attempting to sell the £4.3 million gold toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019.
Maurice Sines, a multi-millionaire caravan tycoon, has previously been associated with Ireland's notorious Kinahan Cartel. The court heard that £100,000 bounties had been placed on the heads of the robbers, with Pedro suggesting during testimony that shadowy figures were "putting hits on people."
CCTV footage of the robbery was shown to jurors, but footage of the meeting between Mr White, the owners, and Fred Sines has gone missing. A fifth suspect, Michael Ashman, remains at large according to police.
Defence Claims and Additional Context
During the trial, some defendants claimed the robbery was an "inside job" and suggested Mr White might have been involved. Junior Kunu, who was cleared of conspiracy to rob, claimed the heist was staged and that Mr White was "in on it," arguing that no genuine force was used.
Mehmet claimed he participated in the robbery because he owed £190,000 to "serious criminals" he referred to as "the firm." After learning about the bounty on his head, he fled to Turkey with his family before returning to the UK and being arrested in March of last year.
Detective Sergeant Matt Hollands, who led the investigation, stated: "This was an audacious robbery that was several months in the planning. Oliver's death is a tragic reminder that crimes such as robbery have a significant impact on victims."
The court heard that none of the stolen watches have been recovered, and they were not insured at the time of the robbery. Mehmet, Kunu, and Holmes have all been issued with "threat to life warning notices" by police following the placement of bounties on their heads.
