An Algerian watch thief who stole more than £100,000 worth of high-value timepieces while in London to 'check on his asylum application' has been jailed. Abdulkarim Ienbuzir, 25, originally from Algeria, was described as a 'systematic predator' who robbed three victims of their watches in a spree of crimes last summer.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, he claimed he was only in London to check on his asylum application. Ienbuzir, of William Henry Street, Liverpool, appeared at Southwark Crown Court wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit and was aided by an Arabic interpreter.
Similar method in all robberies
Henna Baig, prosecuting, said: 'All three robberies have a similar method, in that the defendant, along with other people, on three separate occasions, targeted members of the public, stole high-value watches, and on one occasion a phone.'
In the first robbery on Berkeley Street, Mayfair, in the early hours of 17 July last year, Ienbuzir and another targeted Finbar Breslin for his £5,000 Cartier watch and £1,000 iPhone 16 Pro Max. Ms Baig said: 'He described that when he took out his phone, he was approached by two males. A conversation took place and he described both males got close to him. One of them was in front of him, and the other was to his side. Without warning, the defendant grabbed the wrist and stole his watch.'
Ienbuzir snatched an £18,000 Hublot watch from Matthew Payton in Mayfair on August 1, the court heard. The thief, with other unknown men, also robbed Thomas Pope of his £85,000 Patek Philippe timepiece outside the Ritz Hotel on September 18. The prosecutor said: 'Similar to the August robbery, a very quick grab of the wrist, and it was this defendant acting with another person. On each offence, the defendant was identified or linked to the robbery by CCTV footage.'
Sentencing remarks
Passing sentence, Judge Mark Cole told Ienbuzir: 'You acted as a systematic predator. You knew exactly what you were looking for, you loitered in parts of London where you hoped to find people wearing high-value watches. You found them, and you swooped.' He said the 'shock and fear' resulting from his offending is 'exemplified' by the words of Mr Payton, who told police he 'could not help but think of the worst-case scenario.'
The judge said Ienbuzir had 'little in mitigation' beyond the fact that he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and was sceptical of the Algerian's claim that his father had recently died. Mr Cole said: 'Forgive me for being cynical… but he had told provable lies to the officer that he was in London to check on his asylum application, when in fact he is an absconder.'
Defending, Michaela Onuchukwu said she could not verify Ienbuzir's bereavement. She added: 'He is under no illusion that custody is almost a certainty, to quote a previous judge.'
Ienbuzir was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison concurrent on each offence. Passing sentence, the judge said Ienbuzir would have served up to six years imprisonment 'were it not for your guilty plea.' The Algerian remained stony-faced in the dock. Ienbuzir has three previous convictions for a total of five offences, two of which relate to theft of items other than watches in 2023 and 2024.
