Watch dealer took his own life due to ‘distress’ of £2.8m raid at west London store, say devastated family
29 May 2024, 06:57 | Updated: 29 May 2024, 08:04
The family of a watch seller who was found dead 24 hours after two robbers carried out a £2.8m raid on a luxury west London store have said they believe he took his own life due to the 'distress' of the crime.
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Oliver White, 27, was found dead at home in circumstances deemed 'not suspicious' by police - around 24 hours after he was held in a chokehold during a high-value watch robbery in Richmond, south west London.
Now his family have paid tribute to their son, but they revealed the “anguish and distress” the incident caused him.
Mr White’s parents said he had been left “traumatised and unable to speak” following the robbery.
In a statement released through the police, his parents said: "He had been the victim of a terrifying attack and high value robbery at his place of work, which was later shared widely on social media."
“Sadly, it is our belief that Oliver subsequently took his own life due to the anguish and distress of this terrible incident.
“As a family we are devastated by the loss of our beautiful, funny, loyal boy, who lit up every room he walked into.
“We are desperately trying to make sense and come to terms with this tragic incident and plead that we are given the privacy to grieve without additional stress and intrusion into our lives.”
The two men being hunted over the robbery posed as clients in a three-day sting before the attack.
Mr White 'should never have been alone' with that amount of watches on display, according to his firm.
A close friend of Oliver told MailOnline: "He was very depressed after the robbery and was filled with a lot of worry especially after it was established that around £2.8million worth of watches had been stolen.
"Olli was petrified that he could lose all that he owns and that they might even take his mother's house.
"He was also traumatised by what happened and became very fearful about the impact this robbery could have on his and his family's financial future. He just didn't know what was going to happen."
Another friend said: "He wasn't sure if the insurance would have covered the theft or if there was any insurance at all.
"The robbery left him broken and combined with the financial uncertainty over who would be responsible he couldn't see another way out.
"Olli took it very personally and really believed that he would get all the blame and that it would ruin him."
It comes after Mr White's partner Alana Dredge shared tributes after his death, as she posted on Instagram revealing that she keeps sending him WhatsApp messages in the hope he will respond.
Devastated Alana posted online on Monday: “My darling boy I can’t believe your gone. This was our last photo together. This was only 2 weeks ago and now I’ll never see you again.
“The last thing you said to me was I love you. I will cherish you forever, being with you was the best 6 years of my life. I hope you are reading this from up there, I will continue to make you proud.
“We saving up to buy our first home and I promise you I’ll I will buy the house you exactly wanted and it’ll be your home. I keep sending you what’s app hoping this is all a nightmare and you’ll reply.
“I don’t know how I’ll do life without you, my whole world has ended. My life will never be the same again I can’t explain how much I love you.
“I will never stop loving you - I’m so numb I can’t cry anymore. I have never felt pain like this, you were the only person that could give me comfort like no other and make all my pain go away.
🚨 #WANTED | Do you know these 2 men?
— Richmond Police (@MPSRichmond) May 25, 2024
We want to find them after a robbery at a jewellers in #Richmond today.
Pls call 101 ref 4555/25May if you can help.
Read more 👇https://t.co/QEjvz9cnIc pic.twitter.com/Q6W6TuxCtn
“Now you’re not here I don’t know what I’m going to do 💔 I love you Oliver more than I can put into words 😭😭😭😭”
One friend posted online: “So so sorry for your loss. Dealt with Oli and the boys on a couple of occasions and were always top drawer. Just trying to make something of himself in a world where it’s fucking hard to do. Absolutely heartbreaking. May he RIEP. X”
Another posted: “My heart breaks for you I’m so so sorry you are in my prayers tonight.”
Horrifying footage showed two men entering the shop with one appearing to assault Oliver, placing his arms round his neck and restraining his hands.
A day before his death two robbers entered the 247 Kettles store in Richmond last Saturday and stole a large number of high-value watches.
The same watch retailer was also targeted in 2021 in a different raid carried out by masked men at their previous address in Egham in Surrey.
They moved their business premises not long after that raid, in which half a million pounds worth of watches were taken.
In the latest attack, the two men can be seen sitting at the other side of the desk to the victim, who appears to be fixing a white watch for them.
One of the attackers grabs the dealer by both arms and violently pushes him across the room on his chair into a corner. His accomplice then dashes to the counter and sweeps up large numbers of watches - stuffing them into the backpack of the man performing the chokehold on Oliver.
The man performing the chokehold speaks into the victim’s ear while the raid is carried out.
Police said they were called to a property in Shepperton on Sunday shortly after 8.15pm, 'following a report of a concern for safety'.
Surrey police confirmed Oliver’s death in a statement: “A man in his 20s was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are aware and are being supported.
'Enquiries are still ongoing, but his death is not thought to be suspicious.”
The Met police said: “We are aware of the death of a man in Surrey on Sunday, 26 May. This is being investigated by officers from Surrey Police and is not being treated as suspicious at this time.
“The man who died was the victim of a robbery at a jewellers in Richmond on Saturday, 25 May.
“We ask that the privacy of his family is respected at this difficult time.”
Police have also launched a manhunt for the two suspects accused of robbing the jewellers in the leafy borough of Richmond, south-west London.
The incident happened just before 3pm on Saturday, 25 May in Kew Road.
Police noted that one of the suspects has a distinctive neck tattoo.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "We are aware of the death of a man in Surrey on Sunday, 26 May. This is being investigated by officers from Surrey Police and is not being treated as suspicious at this time.
"The man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
"The man who died was the victim of a robbery at a jewellers in Richmond on Saturday, 25 May.
"We ask that the privacy of his family is respected at this difficult time and moving CCTV footage of the incident involving the victim is not shared on social media.
Police have asked anyone who recognises the two men in the footage or has any information about the raid that could assist police to call 101 or contact @MetCC on X/Twitter, quoting CAD4555/25May.
Those feeling distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
Watch thefts across England and Wales have soared in recent years, rising from 6,696 in 2015 to 11,035 in 2022, according to data from Watchfinder & Co.
It comes after boxing star Amir Khan had his £70,000 diamond watch robbed at gunpoint in east London in 2022.
Mr Khan, 37, was leaving the Sahara Grill in Leyton, East London, with his wife Faryal Makhdoom, 31, and their friend Omar Khalid, on April 18, 2022 when the terrifying attack took place.
The gunman can be seen striding towards the light-welterweight boxer as he left the building.
With thugs pointing the weapon in the Bolton-born boxer's face, the group then grabbed the £72,000 custom-made Franck Muller watch before pointing the weapon at Mr Khan’s friend.
The former world boxing champion previously told a court how looking down the barrel of a gun as he was robbed of his £70,000 watch was scarier than any of his fights.
Mr Khan, 36, said his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 31, was "screaming and crying" when he was targeted as they left the Sahara Grill Restaurant in Leyton, east London, on April 18 last year.
