August 23rd 2024.
In a recent court case at Southwark Crown Court, Walid Raoul was dubbed the "Rolex Ripper" for his attempted theft of a £50,000 watch in Mayfair. The incident occurred on June 8th, 2024, when Raoul, 30, and another man attempted to steal a Patek Phillipe Blue World Time watch from Mark Beard's wrist on Grosvenor Street in London. Mr. Beard and his wife, Annli, were walking back to their hotel, the Connaught Hotel, when they were attacked.
The initial attempt to steal Mr. Beard's gilet jacket was unsuccessful, but then Raoul and his accomplice targeted the expensive watch. A physical altercation ensued, with Raoul trying to grab the watch while the other man attempted to take Mrs. Beard's rings, resulting in a broken finger. After a scuffle on the ground, Raoul managed to run away with the watch in hand, but was quickly restrained by Mr. Beard and nearby security guards.
Raoul has a previous criminal record, with nine convictions for 14 offenses, including a previous conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery in 2013. The watch in question was a blue Patek Phillipe World Time worth £50,000. According to prosecutor Matt Ward, Mr. and Mrs. Beard were walking back to their hotel when the attack occurred. He described the incident, stating that the assailants first tried to grab Mr. Beard's gilet jacket before targeting the valuable watch.
Mr. Ward also mentioned that Raoul had been quickly apprehended and detained by Mr. Beard and security guards. Raoul was arrested and cautioned, and during questioning, he claimed that someone had made him commit the crime. In defense of Raoul, his lawyer, Cassan Lindsay, described the incident as a "scuffle" resulting in "a couple of scratches." Lindsay also mentioned that Raoul was going through a difficult time, which led to his poor decision to commit the robbery.
Lindsay also stated that the failure of Raoul's car sales business was the driving force behind the robbery. He added that while being restrained on the ground, Raoul had been physically assaulted and suffered a broken elbow, as seen in custody images. However, the judge, Mr. Recorder Quintin Newcombe, sentenced Raoul to 24 months in prison, suspended due to the overcrowding in prisons and the impact it would have on Raoul's wife and young daughter.
Recorder Newcombe also commended Mr. Beard for his brave actions in stopping Raoul from getting away and recovering the broken watch. He also acknowledged the impact the incident had on Mrs. Beard, stating that it caused her stress and nervousness about attending social engagements in central London. The judge also noted that the offense was a group effort, with Raoul targeting someone with a valuable watch for financial gain.
Raoul's lawyer mentioned that he had no recognized qualifications and had previously worked as a delivery driver and then as a car salesman. However, Raoul had now started his own dealership, which was struggling, leading him to commit the robbery in the hopes of making more money than he received in universal credit. In the end, Raoul was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and was given credit for his early guilty plea. He was also fortunate to not be ordered to pay any costs or compensation.
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