The value of premium watches has been on the rise in England and gangs have been cashing in on this new lucrative business. With sales of premium time pieces in England and Wales doubling over the past eight years, the business has attracted more and more money hungry thugs looking to make a quick buck off unsuspecting buyers and store owners.

Paul Thorpe, a former watch dealer forced to retire due to frequent robberies at his shop, noted that stealing high end watches in London could earn more money than some people could ever make in a lifetime, making it a highly lucrative endeavor for gangs. He added that watches don't attract the same incriminating risk as drugs and thus can be easily smuggled or transported to other locations.

Since 2015, the number of stolen watches in England and Wales has doubled - from 6,696 to 11,035 last year with more than 6,000 of the thefts being in London. This has been bolstered by the soaring demand for second hand watches which has seen the value of time pieces double in just a few years.

Strategies being Employed by Gangs to run Watch Theft Syndicates

Mr. Thorpe notes that thieves most often use spotters who hang around at wealthy areas such as high end bars and restaurants or near luxury watch shops to identify targets before confronting them on the street or following them home.

He adds that sometimes spotters work as waiters or drivers and text their accomplices ahead to tell them who to hit. Once a watch has been stolen it can be concealed and resold at a sizable margin on the black market.

Nick Triggs who recently experienced one of the robberies with his wife recounts the nasty experience in South Kensington where their two Rolexes were stolen.

"A black BMW screeched to a stop beside me. The door opened, the guy gets out and smashes me - I think with a knuckle duster - on the left cheekbone"

"I fall backwards, down to the car, and I look up and there is another person showing me a 15-inch machete with a grey gun metal blade, and serrated edges.

"I look up to him, I'm groggy, I'm disorientated, and I think 'is he going to kill me?'

"The first guy then shouts: 'Give us your watches!' - so we hand them over, and they race off."

In the aftermath of the robbery, Mr. Triggs ended up losing several teeth and with a cheek broken in three places.

Although his wife was able to record the number plate of the thieves' car and later get them arrested, it was just a drop in the ocean because there are numerous other gangs in London doing the same thing.

The situation has gotten so bad that some shoppers are resorting to hiring bodyguards and chauffeurs just to feel safe while out shopping for expensive luxury items.

The National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for personal robbery, Commander Richard Smith, said such crimes have a "devastating impact" on victims and leave them with "long-lasting trauma".

He added that the police would work and engage with communities to identify offenders and improve education on personal safety.

‍

‍