Masked thieves target Lamborghini driver in west London - hours after man knifed to death ‘for Rolex’
This is the shocking moment armed thieves attempted to break into a Lamborghini parked outside London’s Russian embassy on a night of serious crime in west London.
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The footage, captured on the dash cam of a black cab, shows the masked attackers, one wielding a knife, descend on the vehicle before making their escape after being interrupted by police.
The failed theft is believed to have taken place just hours after a 24-year-old man was knifed to death outside the £1,650-a-night Park Tower Hotel and Casino in London’s Knightsbridge, minutes from the Russian embassy.
Damian Aune, the taxi driver who captured the incident, told LBC he had been driving by the Russian embassy when the four attackers began their attack on the luxury car.
Mr Aune believes the failed break-in was an attempt to steal luxury items from the car’s driver, who sat trapped in the vehicle while the knife-wielding attackers tried to open its doors.
“You see it all the time around here,” he said.
“My clients often ask me to wait outside until they’ve gone into their houses because they don’t believe it's safe.
“In Knightsbridge and Kensington, it’s mad!”
But as quickly as the attack began, it was over, he added.
“Credit to the police from the Russian embassy, they were there almost immediately.
“One officer nearly got run over trying to get across the road.”
In the video, police can be seen sprinting across Bayswater Road before tasering one of the thieves.
As one of the masked thieves collapses to the ground, the rest of the attackers run for a nearby motorbike before speeding away from the parked Lamborghini.
LBC has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment.
Just a short walk across Hyde Park from the Russian embassy a similar incident took place, seeing a man knifed to death over his Rolex watch.
The victim, 24, was knifed to death outside the £1,650-a-night Park Tower Hotel and Casino in London’s Knightsbridge, directly opposite Harvey Nichols.
Californian tourist Sarah, who is staying in the hotel with her husband and two sons, told LBC: “One of the staff members told us it was over a Rolex.
"I was standing right here on the street [on the opposite side of the hotel] when it happened and I heard nothing until all the sirens came round. I was wearing my Rolex too."
“Now we have our guard up. The Rolex won’t be back on this trip.”
A worker at a luxury hotel near the murder scene said: “I was working there last night. My secretary told me a masked man tried to rob his watch. It was a couple. But the guy pulled out his hand and he took out his knife and stabbed him.
“The couple were walking along the pavement and he tried to fight back but the guy took the knife and stabbed him in the chest,” he told MailOnline.
Two American guests staying at hotel said: “We were out around the same time this happened and my father passed by and it happened right there.
“The concierge said it was a stabbing. There was an argument and he (the attacker) was on a bike.
“All our friends that live here told us don't wear expensive watches. It's kind of sad being in London not being able to wear your expensive jewellery.”
Emergency services were called to the scene around 9.30pm yesterday to reports of a stabbing on Seville Street, Knightsbridge.
Police, the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended, but despite the best efforts of emergency services the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We sent resources to the scene, including paramedics in fast response cars and an incident response officer.
"We also dispatched a trauma team from London’s Air Ambulance, which consisted of a paramedic and a doctor in a car.
“The first paramedic arrived in less than four minutes. Sadly, despite the best efforts of our crews, a man died at the scene.”
The victim's next-of-kin are aware of the stabbing and are being supported by specialist officers.