Two members of a violent gang dubbed the “Rolex Rippers” have been jailed for a string of brutal robberies outside luxury showrooms and in the streets of London’s West End.
Tedros Haile, 35, and Mahad Jammeh, 24, were sentenced to 11 and 8 years respectively at court this week following their savage attacks on victims wearing expensive watches, including outside the Rolls-Royce showroom in Stratton Street, Mayfair, on 25 June 2024.
The pair, along with a third accomplice, Christian Whittingham, 27, jumped out of a white BMW wearing face coverings and ambushed Michail Rivas, robbing him of his Mido Baroncelli Moonphase Chronograph, worth around £1,000, before speeding away.
Later that night, they struck again on Brewer Street, targeting Mark Jackson and Oliver Wragg, who were wearing short-sleeved shirts and flashy watches after a night out watching football.
During the attack, the court heard that one of the robbers shouted “get his watch” and another threatened to “stab him in the face”. Mr Jackson was struck in the head with a hard object and repeatedly punched, while Mr Wragg was placed in a chokehold before handing over his £600 Audemars Piguet replica.
The gang again fled in the same BMW, later linked to all three robberies.
Repeat Offenders
The court heard that Jammeh had a history of violent crime, with 11 prior convictions for robbery dating back to when he was just 15 years old. Haile was in breach of a suspended sentence at the time of the attacks, following a burglary in which he and another man broke into a woman’s flat.
Haile, of Guinness Trust Buildings, Fulham Palace Road, admitted one count of robbery but was convicted of an additional robbery and attempted robbery after trial. Jammeh, of Welch House, Beaconsfield Road, Enfield, admitted two counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery.
Judge Christopher Hehir, sentencing, described the violence as “gratuitous” and condemned the attacks as “shocking, organised and predatory.”
Awaiting Sentencing
Christian Whittingham, of Granville Road, Uxbridge, has also admitted involvement in the three incidents and will be sentenced at a later date.
The case has reignited concerns about opportunistic street robberies in London’s high-end shopping districts, where affluent individuals are increasingly targeted for luxury accessories.
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour around high-value retail areas.
