Moment cops snare ‘Rolex Ripper’ gang after brazen watch thieves try to rob pair…only to find they’re undercover police
THIS is the dramatic moment a brazen “Rolex Ripper” gang are tackled to the ground by undercover cops after an embarrassing failed robbery.
Footage caught thief Yakob Harket, 21, trying to steal an expensive watch from a couple in Mayfair – but he failed to realise they were actually undercover police.
Harket was swiftly chased down the street by two more incoming cops who watched his every move.
More officers then rushed in on bikes as they discovered another three suspected accomplices lingering nearby.
Two of the men were sensationally stood just feet away from where the robbery took place walking up the road in Berkeley Square.
They were caught watching the police chase after Harket before two more plain clothed officers ran into them and dumped them on the floor.
The pair Mohammed Naas, 34, and Adel Mohamdi, 31, were arrested on the ground.
A fourth suspected thief in Yanis Amri, 37, was also detained.
The men have all been accused of being a part of a “Rolex ripper” gang who target wealthy people and steal their jewellery.
Police had been following the men for some time with remarkable CCTV video showing their perfectly executed undercover mission.
Footage shows Harket following a pair of police officers who were posing as a wealthy couple.
The duo had bags of shopping, were wearing posh clothes and had expensive replica jewellery on to bait out the gang.
Lead prosecutor Henry Laidlaw told a court that the male officer was wearing a £40,000 Rolex Sky Dealer watch at the time.
The woman had a replica Patek Philippe Rose Gold watch – with the real version having a value of approximately £70,000.
Jurors were shown several clips of the officers walking from Berkeley Square to Hays Mews on the evening of October 10, last year.
One of these showed Naas, Amri and Mohamdi following the couple as prosecutors claimed they were relaying information to Harket.
A separate video captured the moment of the attempted robbery.
Harket quickened his pace as he reached forward to grab the woman’s wrist.
Laidlaw said: “He ripped the Patek Philippe watch off her wrist but dropped it, so it was recovered.”
Moments later, a large number of plain clothes officers – including the undercover couple – sprang into action and tackled the thief as he tried to run away.
Harket managed to flee for a brief few minutes before he was eventually captured and arrested along with Amri.
Mohamadi and Naas were arrested right next to the offence, as seen in the video.
Harket admitted robbery at Southwark Crown Court as Naas was later convicted of the same crime by a jury after a three day trial.
Naas denied having any knowledge of the robbery operation.
He told police he met Mohamdi for a coffee that afternoon as the pair ended up in Shepherd’s Market.
Laidlaw told a jury he did know who Harket was but that they had never had a conversation.
But the prosecutors found in their case that the pair knew each other well and had a lot of communication in the months leading up to the robbery.
Mr Laidlaw added: “Phones were downloaded and a number of internet searches had been made by Naas on 9 October for Richard Mille watches.
“It is the prosecution’s case that Naas was an essential cog in a machine and played a knowing and willing part in the robbery.”
Naas appeared in court, aided by an Arabic interpreter, as he was was convicted of robbery.
Amri and Mohamdi were also convicted in their absence after they absconded.
Arrest warrants were issued for the pair’s detention.
Sentencing was adjourned until June 2.
Mayfair now has the highest rate for watch robberies across the whole of Europe.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Tackling violent crime is one of the Met’s priorities and we are determined to reduce the number of robberies.
“Uniform and plain clothes officers proactively patrol robbery hotspots to identify offences taking place, but more importantly to help prevent and deter offenders from committing robberies in the first place.”