Shocking footage has captured the moment Zakaria Snouci, a 27-year-old Algerian, ambushed a businessman near Hyde Park and stole his £30,000 Patek Philippe watch. The incident occurred on Porchester Place, where Snouci approached Sunil Chopra, grabbed his left arm, and tore the timepiece from his wrist in under two seconds.
Snouci, of King's Cross Road, Islington, admitted two counts of theft at Southwark Crown Court last month. On Thursday, he was jailed for three years and nine months. As an asylum seeker, his case will be referred to the Home Secretary for a decision on deportation.
The robbery is part of a wider trend of luxury watch thefts in London. A Standard investigation revealed that more than £22 million worth of luxury watches, handbags, and jewellery were stolen across the capital in the past two years. Metropolitan Police data shows 3,428 watches valued above £3,000 were stolen between January 2023 and November 2024.
High-profile victims include BBC Breakfast presenter Ben Thompson, who said he no longer feels safe in London after his £7,000 Rolex was stolen. Other victims include Tim Hortons boss Axel Schwan and Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour, who considered quitting London after being targeted.
Scotland Yard reports that theft in the West End has decreased by more than 25% since April, with some days recording no robberies in Westminster. However, the epidemic continues to cause fear among residents and visitors alike.
