Terrifying moment woman 'held at knife point by thieves attempting to steal watch'
22 August 2022, 18:09
A pair of thieves have been caught attacking a man and woman 'at knife point' in a bid to 'get their hands on a watch'.
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Footage shared on social media showed the thieves attack a man and woman, believed to be targeting the woman's watch.
The incident - understood to have taken place in the Knightsbridge and Chelsea area of London - comes amid a spike in violent thefts in the capital.
Screams and shouts could be heard as the man and woman were attacked.
The thieves then made a quick escape in a car after being warned that police would be called.
Warning - footage on link contains swearing and potentially upsetting footage. Viewer discretion is advised.
It comes after moped thieves were seen targeting a Bugatti Chiron driver in Mayfair on Sunday.
A man - dressed as a Deliveroo driver - was seen smashing the window of the car with a hammer in a bid to get the driver's watch.
The incident took place on Hyde Park Corner on Sunday, with extra footage showing what is suspected to be the same drivers targeting a passer-by on a street in Mayfair.
The Met confirmed it is investigating a report of a robbery that is alleged to have happened in Curzon Street, Mayfair, shortly before 5pm on Sunday.
A man aged in his 40s reported being assaulted by two men who stole his watch.
Officers said they are also aware of video appearing to show an attempted robbery nearby on Park Lane at around the same time of the incident, which they believed to be linked.
Read more: Watch robbery victim urges others to be vigilant amid high value timepiece crime wave
Last month the Metropolitan Police appealed to the public for help in catching watch thieves.
Scotland Yard reported there had been 67 watch thefts in central London between May 31 and June 27, an increase of roughly 60 percent in the previous four weeks’ total.
The victim of a terrifying watch robbery has since urged others to be more vigilant as several high value thefts continue to sweep the capital.
Gabriel Leung was walking home along Oak Hill Park, Hampstead in July 2019 when he was approached from behind by 27-year-old Junior Britto.
Britto was armed with a large knife and ordered Mr Leung to hand over his Invicta watch, valued at around £250.
“I was very close to my front door when I heard this car screech and pull up beside me and a man got out waving a machete,” Mr Leung said.
He added: "The experience was terrifying, I didn’t know what he might do. I was in total shock and disbelief, you see things like this on TV but never expect them to happen to you."
