Pub Thief Jailed Over £2.2m Fabergé Egg and Watch Heist

Enzo Conticello, 29, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, received a sentence of two years and three months at Southwark Crown Court. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft and three charges of fraud by false representation.

The theft occurred on 7 November 2024, when Conticello took a handbag belonging to Rosie Dawson, which she had placed on the ground outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho. The bag contained a unique Fabergé egg and a matching watch, which Ms Dawson had been displaying at a work event.

The Stolen Valuables

The Fabergé set, one of only seven in existence, comprises an 18-carat yellow gold egg, intricately set with 104 diamonds and an uncut Zambian emerald. The accompanying 22-carat rose gold watch was inspired by one of Ireland's 'Seven Wonders'. Insurers paid out £106,700 to Ms Dawson's employers, the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, for the loss, though the true market value is significantly higher.

CCTV footage captured Conticello's attempts to steal another bag inside the pub before successfully taking Ms Dawson's. He was linked to the crime after attempting to use her bank cards in a nearby shop shortly after the theft. Conticello claimed he handed over the bag to purchase drugs, having lost his job as a chef during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequently developing a cocaine addiction.

Recorder Kate Livesey described the theft as "opportunistic", causing "inconvenience and stress" to Ms Dawson and her company. Police are continuing their investigation to locate the unrecovered Fabergé egg and watch.