Two Algerian migrants who cruised wealthy tourist areas of London before trying to rob a wealthy Kuwaiti of his £15,000 Hublot watch outside a luxury hotel have been jailed.
Ania Bala, 25, and Salah Mabrouk, 23, attempted to steal the timepiece outside the Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge on October 8 last year.
Bala had arrived in the UK on a tourist visa then overstayed while Mabrouk is thought to have come here illegally by small boat before trying to claim asylum.
The pair were overheard chatting in Arabic discussing potential targets before they tried to snatch tourist Mushal Alenezi’s watch.
They denied the charge but were convicted of attempted robbery by a jury after a week-long trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Sentencing, Judge Christopher Hehir said: ‘You were on the hunt for an affluent victim from whom you could steal a high value wrist watch.
‘You were in the Knightsbridge area to carry out what is colloquially referred to as a Rolex robbery.
‘You found your victim in Mushal Alenezi, a gentleman from Kuwait who was wearing a Hublot wrist watch worth between £12,000 and £15,000.’
Salah Mabrouk, 23, is thought to have come to the UK illegally by small boat before trying to claim asylum
Algerian thief Ania Bala, 25, was overheard chatting in Arabic discussing potential targets before he tried to snatch tourist Mushal Alenezi’s watch
‘He didn’t succeed in getting away from you, but he had the time to take his valuable watch off and put it in his trouser pocket.’
Bala and Mabrouk followed Mr Alenezi to the Lanesborough Hotel, where they tried to take his watch from him again.
‘Thankfully you were interrupted in what you were doing by plain clothes police officers driving in an unmarked car through Hyde Park Corner.’
Referring to Mr Alenezi’s victim impact statement the judge said: ‘It makes for distressing reading.
‘His ordeal has left him no longer feeling safe. He is reluctant to leave his home to go out, and his mental health has suffered.’
‘What has made matters worse for Mr Alenezi is that eight months before this offence he was the victim of a theft or robbery where the perpetrator succeeded in stealing his watch.’
Bala and Mabrouk were each jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Giving evidence Mohamed Muradi told the court he saw the two men looking at people’s wrists.
‘I was driving when I saw two males acting suspiciously, looking at people, going behind people in a very suspicious way, checking hands, checking for watches, following people.
‘They caught my attention. I straight away knew they were looking to rob something like a watch from people.’
He said that he heard the two defendants talking about watches in Arabic.
‘They were talking in Arabic. They were talking about watches. They were saying this is valuable, this is not valuable.’
He said that they then focused on Mr Alenezi.
‘They started trying to take his watch physically, pushing him.’
Bala and Mabrouk followed Mr Alenezi to the Lanesborough Hotel (pictured) in Knightsbridge where they tried to snatch his watch
‘An argument broke out between them. The victim was terrified and scared. He placed the watch quickly in his pocket, and said ‘I know you guys want to steal my watch, but I’m going to fight you back’.’
‘Luckily he was a big guy, he was big built. Maybe they were a bit scared to fight him.’
Giving evidence Mr Alenezi, assisted by an Arabic interpreter, said: ‘They came very close to me. I took the watch and put it in my pocket. One of them grabbed my wrist and the second one covered him.
‘He grabbed my wrist and grabbed my hand. He was pulling me towards him. The second one was behind me. The second one tried to put his hand in my pocket to try and take my watch.
‘Suddenly three people came and arrested the two people. I found out they were police officers.
‘I thought they would kill me. I was frightened.’
He said his watch was worth between £12,000 and £15,000.
The court heard Bala arrived in Britain on a tourist visa, while Mabrouk came to the country as an unaccompanied minor and wants to claim asylum.
They were aided by an Arabic interpreter throughout the trial.
Bala and Mabrouk denied but were convicted of attempted robbery.
