Moment ‘Rolex ripper’ gang mistakenly target pair of undercover police officers in Mayfair – before being swarmed and arrested by cops

CCTV footage revealed the dramatic moment a ‘Rolex ripper’ gang mistakenly target a pair of undercover police officer posing as a wealthy couple kitted with designer watches. 

The police officers, who cannot be named, were wearing expensive garments and accessories as they played their part as bait for the shameless criminals on October 10, 2024.  

One of the yobs, Yakob Harket, 21, can be seen snatching a replica Patek Philippe Rose Gold watch from the female officer’s wrist in Berkeley Square, Mayfair.

An officer wearing a suit slips over as he attempts to arrest Harket, but the criminal quickly races away as two of his accomplices were caught by police. 

However he was swiftly brought to justice, and was arrested by police shortly afterwards. 

Harket later confessed to robbery at Southwark Crown Court, with his accomplice Mohammed Naas, 34, was convicted of robbery by a jury after a three day trial.

Yanis Amri, 37, and Adel Mohamdi, 31, were convicted in their absence after they absconded.

Henry Laidlaw, prosecuting, said the undercover officers, referred to as A and B, were ‘tasked with walking around while posing as a wealthy couple.’

CCTV footage revealed the dramatic moment a ‘Rolex ripper’ gang mistakenly target a pair of undercover police officer posing as a wealthy couple kitted with designer watches

The police officers, who cannot be named, were wearing expensive garments and accessories as they played their part as bait for the shameless criminals on October 10, 2024

Yakob Harket (pictured) later confessed to robbery at Southwark Crown Court, with his accomplice Mohammed Naas, 34, was convicted of robbery by a jury after a three day trial.

‘He [Harket] ripped the Patek Philippe watch off her wrist but dropped it, so it was recovered,’ said Mr Laidlaw.

‘You will have seen there, there were a large number of plain clothes officers who sprang into action.

‘Mohamadi and Naas were arrested right next to the offence.’

Jurors were shown several clips showing the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hays Mews on the evening of 10 October, where they had been followed by the thieving trio.

When asked by police, Naas claimed   he had woken up at a friend’s house in Edgware Road, had lunch and went to Tottenham Court road for cigarettes. 

He alleged he and Mohamdi had wound up in Shepherd’s Market after meeting for a coffee earlier that day. 

‘Mr Naas said the robbery happened right in front of him. He said he knew Harket but they had never had a conversation,’ said Mr Laidlaw.

‘The prosecution’s case, as evidenced by the phone is he knew Harket well and had a lot of communication in the months leading up to the robbery.

‘Phones were downloaded and a number of internet searches had been made by Naas on 9 October for Richard Mille watches,’ said Mr Laidlaw.

‘Mr Naas did exactly what he was required to do, make sure they were under observation at all times,’ he added.

‘It is the prosecution’s case that Naas was an essential cog in a machine and played a knowing and willing part in the robbery.’

Jurors were shown several clips showing the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hays Mews on the evening of 10 October, where they had been followed by the thieving trio

Pictured left to right: Mohammed Naas, Yanis Amri and Adel Mohamdi

Naas, who appeared in the dock today aided by an Arabic interpreter, denied but was convicted of robbery.

Mohamdi and Amri were convicted in their absence while Harket admitted robbery, with sentencing adjourned until June 2, 2024. 

Arrest warrants have been issued for Mohamdi and Amri. 

Earlier this week Algerian Anis Benemri, 28, was jailed for 32 months for robbing tourist Karl Christian Septien of his £250,000 ‘Bubba Watson’ watch in front of his children outside the Novikov Restaurant on Berkeley Street.

A spokesperson for the Met said: ‘Tackling violent crime is one of the Met’s priorities and we are determined to reduce the number of robberies.

‘Uniform and plain clothes officers proactively patrol robbery hotspots to identify offences taking place, but more importantly to help prevent and deter offenders from committing robberies in the first place.’

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