An Algerian migrant who ripped a £65,000 luxury watch from the wrist of a Canadian tourist has been jailed for almost three years.
Serial watch thief Txomin Huare-Place, 31, grabbed the Patek Philippe timepiece from coffee house owner Axel Schwan as he visited Wimbledon.
Visiting England for the 2024 Wimbledon finals, Mr Schwan had just accompanied his wife to an auction at Sotheby's in Mayfair after watching a match when Huare-Place struck – and was caught on CCTV.
The thief, who was already serving six years behind bars when he received today's sentence, inflicted 'intense pain' on his victim as he yanked at the Aquanaut Travel model.
Huare-Place is a member of the Rolex Ripper gangs that have terrorised wealthy tourists in London's West End.
Prosecutor Keren Weekes said: 'At around 4pm, [Mr and Mrs Schwan] exited Sotheby's in New Bond Street, walking to a shop when he felt tugging on his left wrist with intense pain.
'The victim says he could not understand what was happening as it happened so quickly.'
Mr Schwan chased Huare-Place but 'lost balance and fell over' as the robber escaped with two other men on bikes.
Ms Weekes added: 'The robbery was caught on CCTV. It shows the defendant loitering around, communicating with two other males before the robbery.
Txomin Huare-Place, 31, has been further jailed for two years and nine months for stealing a £60k watch from the wrist of a Canadian tourist in West London
'He approached the victim and ripped his watch from his left wrist.'
Huare-Place has since been jailed for six years over a spate of robberies, most recently when he and another thief targeted watches from passengers coming out of black cabs.
He was later arrested and interviewed at HMP Wandsworth where he gave no comment to police questions.
Huare-Place admitted one count of robbery earlier this month.
The robber appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday wearing a black puffer jacket, aided by an Arabic interpreter and spoke only to confirm his name.
Reading Mr Schwan's victim impact statement, the prosecutor said: 'The robbery has profoundly affected me emotionally as nothing like it has happened to me before.
'Having something so valuable taken from me with such force on a Sunday in London's most busy shopping area has left me feeling vulnerable.
'The trip was meant to be a joyful experience but took a devastating turn.
'We came to watch Wimbledon and went to London for a weekend shopping trip. What was supposed to be a lovely day turned into a nightmare and cast a shadow over the trip.'
Mr Schwan said the watch, which he originally bought for £28,000, has since been discontinued and was 'impossible' to replace – now valued at £65,000.
He added: 'This event has not only caused us financial strain but left us with lingering fears for our security.'
Axel Schwan, a coffee house owner, gave chase but was unable to catch up with the thief
Mr Schwan is the regional president of Tim Hortons' Canada and US business.
Defending, Charlie Hutchins said: 'Firstly, my client would like to convey his remorse, and he would like to apologise to Mr Schwan for the offence.
'He appreciates that he clearly was enjoying a lovely day in the sun, by the sounds of it, having gone to Wimbledon. Nobody deserves that, so he would like to apologise for that.'
He said of the Algerian: 'When he goes home, because he does want to go back to Algeria, he wants to work in delivery driving, basically to provide for his family.
'My client would be eligible for the early removal scheme, deportation back to Algeria, the courts will be aware of the issues prisons are suffering from at the moment.
'It would help free up some prison space, in my submission, probably more deserving occupants in the long run, if it were to be concurrent versus consecutive.'
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Moloney KC said: 'In my view, there was very high value goods targeted and obtained, and there was planning.
'The two males who assisted you pleaded guilty to theft, and they have been sentenced.
'I note that you are a serving prisoner with a substantial sentence of some six years, and I must take into account what we refer to as totality.'
The Algerian tensed his face and shut his eyes as he was jailed for two years and nine months, consecutive to his six-year term.
Huare-Place, of HMP Brixton, earlier admitted robbery.
He has several previous convictions, including in 2022 for theft from person and two similar watch robberies in June last year.
Fellow Algerian migrant Ahmed Djidi, 27, was jailed for 22 months for his involvement in the theft of Mr Schwan's watch.