A 19-year-old Algerian thief who stole a £37,000 Patek Phillip watch from a tourist’s wrist as he left a restaurant in Mayfair will be deported after serving his sentence.
Professional thief Mohamed Sellaoui, 19, wrenched the luxury watch from Jiangfeng Ni’s wrist as he made his way out of Langan’s Brasserie on February 26, 2024.
At the time of the incident, Sellaoui was on bail for stealing a backpack containing valuables worth £2,000 from a dinner in a restaurant.
Lynn Fanshawe, prosecuting, told the court Mr Ni said the watch was ‘very sentimental’ and the incident had ‘changed his feelings towards London’.
In a victim impact statement, he said ‘that he wasn’t actually hurt’ but he now feels ‘very nervous’ when anyone is near him.
He explained he had purchased the item years ago, Ms Fynshawe told the court, adding: ‘The price was very high…It was a very important item that he took.’
‘He says that it has changed his feelings towards London. He says that now when someone comes close to me, I feel very nervous.’
Sentencing Judge Gregory Perrins told the Algerian thief: ‘You knew what you were looking for, or someone else gave you the information that Mr Ni was a prime target.
Professional thief Mohamed Sellaoui, 19, (pictured) wrenched the luxury watch from Jiangfeng Ni’s wrist as he made his way out of Langan’s Brasserie on February 26, 2024
Pictured: Sellaoui walking next to Mr Ni before he steals his £37,000 Patek Phillipe watch in Mayfair
Lynn Fanshawe, prosecuting, told the court Mr Ni said the watch was ‘very sentimental’ and the incident had ‘changed his feelings towards London’ (Pictured: Langan’s Brasserie)
‘Either way it was plainly a planned offence and as Mr Ni explained teh watch had great sentimental value to him.
‘There is a clear pattern of behaviour. Despite your young age you are plainly a professional thief.
‘You are originally from Algeria and you are in the country illegally. You have no real ties to this country and no real ability to work legally.’
‘You have shown no remorse and no real responsibility for your actions and you are at a high risk of reoffending again.’
Mr Ni, a chemistry professor at Soochow University, told jurors during a trial at Southwark Crown Court that the two men ‘kept pushing’ him into a corner.
Aided by a Chinese interpreter, he explained he was trying to use his right hand to resist the pair.
‘The male on my left started trying to remove my watch from my left wrist. Both were pushing me into the corner and not letting me go away,’ he said.
‘Both of them turned around and started running towards Green Park station, opposite to where I was going.’
Mr Ni said one of the thieves tripped over, adding: ‘The person with my watch fell over… the watch was still in his hand.
‘I went to approach them, but when I was bending down the person on my right swung a punch at me.
‘He was waving his fist and making “woo woo” noises.’ The professor added: ‘He was trying to attack me and allow time for his companion to run away.’
When asked how he felt, Mr Ni said: ‘My mind went blank. In my head, I had to ask myself: “What happened?”‘
Sellaoui, aided by an Arabic interpreter, denied the charge of robbery but found guilty by jury following a three-day trial.
Following his trial earlier this year, Judge Perrins had warned the teenager he would be deported once he is released from jail.
Sellaoui admitted stealing the rucksack containing laptops, an iPhone and other accessories from a diner at a West End restaurant on February 2, 2023.
