Algerian Thief Convicted of Robbery, Set for Deportation After Stole £37,000 Watch

A 19-year-old Algerian burglar, Mohamed Sellaoui, has been sentenced for stealing a £37,000 luxury watch from a Chinese professor during a robbery at a high-end eatery. The incident took place on February 26, 2024, in Mayfair, where Sellaoui targeted Jiangfeng Ni, a chemistry professor at Soochow University, as he exited Langan’s Brasserie on Stratton Street.

According to Mr. Ni, he was approached by two men from behind while leaving the restaurant. He described being ‘pushed into a corner’ and witnessing one of the thieves attempt to remove his watch from the left wrist. Once the pair had taken the timepiece, they fled toward Green Park station, with the person holding the watch falling over during the escape.

‘The person with my watch fell over… the watch was still in his hand,’ the professor stated during his testimony at Southwark Crown Court, aided by a Chinese interpreter. ‘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.’

Prosecutor Sue Obeney inquired about Mr. Ni’s emotional state following the assault. He responded: ‘My mind went blank. In my head I had to ask myself: “What happened?”‘

Joshua Clements, Sellaoui’s defense lawyer, questioned the professor’s account, arguing that he had ‘mistakenly added extra details’ not present in his initial police statement. Clements noted that Mr. Ni spent nearly an hour during the identity parade and requested to view different images 15 times, suggesting uncertainty about the suspects’ identities.

However, Mr. Ni insisted his ‘very good eyesight’ allowed him to recognize the assailant clearly. ‘I was quite nervous at the time, but who pushed me, it was quite obvious. I remember it clearly,’ he explained.

Sellaoui, assisted by an Arabic interpreter, initially pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge. Nonetheless, a jury found him guilty after a three-day trial. Judge Gregory Perrins informed the teenager that a pre-sentence report would be ordered, but emphasized that deportation would follow any sentencing.

Mr. Clements urged the judge to consider a suspended sentence, pointing out that Sellaoui was 17 at the time of the offense. The judge countered: ‘How can I give a suspended sentence if he is here illegally?’ Sellaoui was remanded in custody for sentencing on April 9.

Detective Constable Kira Halson, who led the Met Police’s investigation, highlighted the case as a key example of the force’s focus on violent crimes. ‘We’ve set up local, proactive teams to deal with robberies as part of our New Met for London plan,’ she said. ‘CCTV enquiries quickly identified Sellaoui as a suspect, with a local officer recognizing him during a patrol and making the arrest.’

Halson added: ‘Despite his young age, Sellaoui is a prolific offender, and I’m pleased we’ve secured justice for the victim in this case.’