A prominent personality from the BBC shared that he no longer feels secure in London following a violent incident where his valuable timepiece was stolen during a street robbery. Ben Thompson, a presenter on BBC Breakfast, recounted an ordeal where he and his companion, Roja Dove, were accosted by a group of six individuals while returning home from a restaurant in Mayfair.
Dove was reportedly assaulted and had his expensive £150,000 diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe watch taken, while Thompson was also targeted, losing his £7,000 watch in the process.
The distressing incident has significantly impacted the television personality’s sense of safety in London. During a court hearing where two of the culprits were sentenced, Thompson acknowledged that his behavior has changed since the traumatic event.
The former correspondent in the Middle East expressed, “I feel uneasy and startled whenever I hear someone approaching me from behind, such as a jogger or cyclist.”
The stolen watch held sentimental value as it was a special gift from Thompson’s partner, Andy Roche, to commemorate his 40th birthday, complete with a personalized engraving. Unfortunately, the incident resulted in a physical scar where the watch was forcibly removed.
During the trial at the Old Bailey, it was revealed that the offenders were observed leaving Cecconi’s restaurant in Burlington Gardens by a lookout. Surveillance footage later identified two of the perpetrators as Hocine Boulanouar, 26, and Danis Tom-Deter, 36.
Dove, aged 69, lamented, “I have worked diligently for everything I possess. The watch was a personal gift to myself when I turned 65. The loss of the watch has rendered all my efforts fruitless.”
Similar to Thompson, Dove confessed that the incident left him apprehensive while navigating the streets of London. He affirmed, “I find that my daily routines have been completely disrupted, especially when I am in London.”
Following the prosecution, Boulanouar received a sentence of four years and three months from Mr. Recorder Jeremy Benson. It was disclosed that he had violated a six-month suspended sentence when he committed the robbery against Thompson.
Despite denying any involvement and claiming to be elsewhere during the incident, Boulanouar was found guilty based on CCTV evidence. Tom-Deter, on the other hand, confessed to his participation in the crime and was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison.
In delivering the verdict, the judge remarked, “This was evidently a terrifying ordeal on the streets of central London at night. The victims were accosted and restrained as their watches were forcibly taken off their wrists.”
Interested in more entertainment news and updates? Follow Mirror Celebs on <a aria-label="[object Object]Link opens in a new tab." class="TextLink_text-link