In broad daylight, London watch thieves target Playboy in a £ 3 million Bugatti supercar.
1. Police are warning the public after a series of armed robberies targeting the wealthy for their watches and jewellery.
2. Cases are up 60%, with many victims left injured and traumatised
Mr Al Basman uploaded pictures of his Bugatti supercar on social media before the attack.
This week an alarming attack was detailed as Kuwaiti playboy Abdullah F. Al Basman was followed by thieves on mopeds after he left The Berkeley Hotel in London in his 3 million pound Bugatti Chiron hypercar.
It appears that the moped thieves had carefully planned out their attack. Staff at The Berkeley Hotel had seen the mopeds earlier in the morning and told them to get off the pavement. However, they were still waiting when Mr Al Basman left the hotel. As he made his way to Hyde Park Corner, the moped thieves followed and attacked at a junction using hammers.
However, despite heavy hammer blows, the victim was able to speed away, leaving the thieves empty-handed. But not for long. Police were called to a similar incident at 5 pm later that day in Curzon street in Mayfair, where a man in his forties was attacked and his watch stolen. The thieves fled with the loot this time, but fortunately, the victim only suffered minor injuries.
Police have warned the wider community about a spate of watch thefts in wealthy areas of the capital. Scotland Yard released a 4-week total of 67 robberies from May 31 to June 27, detailing a 60% increase on the previous 4-week total.
Celebrity and boxer Amir Kahn was robbed at gunpoint in April for his Rolex watch
Several other attacks have also been documented recently, with celebrity boxer Amir Khan’s fists proving no match for a thief that stole his £70,000 watch at gunpoint. Additionally, a couple were left traumatised after a machete-carrying thief stole their Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe watches. The Patek Philippe watch alone was valued at £210,000. And an attack a few days later in Fulham on August 17 left a victim with head injuries in hospital.
Patek Philippe watches can retail for over £210,000
Sadly, a watch robbery in 2019 ended in murder when an Omani student, Mohammed Al-Araimi, was stabbed to death for his Rolex watch.
While the police have said they are deploying more officers to investigate these crimes, it certainly appears that for now, if you choose to wear an expensive watch in London hotspots, you could be targeted.
Al Basman is thought to have come on the thieves’ radar after he posted several snaps of himself with his watches and supercars. The simple advice here is don’t do that. Flaunting your riches can never be the smartest move in terms of security. If you can’t help showing off your luxury items, the next best thing you can do is hire a professional close protection bodyguard or security team.
Protecting the wealthy is big business and pays handsomely
If you were Mr Al Basman’s bodyguard, what would you have done differently to ensure his safety and prevent the incident from even taking place?
You’ll learn extensive skills and knowledge when you take a close protection officer’s course with our partners. The skills a bodyguard could have used to prevent the incident include threat and risk assessment, surveillance, operational planning, route selection and vehicle tactics. With any possible threat detected, you might be the one to take the wheel of the Kuwaiti playboy’s 3 million pound Bugatti Chiron hypercar or follow in a stunning, high-performance escort vehicle.
If you think this exciting career could be for you, check out our Youtube video featuring real-world close protection officers as they take to the road. If you are still eager to know more, check out the great deals we have on this 16-day great value course that could launch you into a lucrative career with a whole host of VIP perks.
