Two asylum seekers who stole £25k gold Rolex in London's Soho allowed to walk free

18 July 2024, 10:34

  • Have you been a victim of watch theft? Tell LBC your story. Email crime@lbc.co.uk
Both of them received community orders
Both of them received community orders. Picture: LBC/Getty

By Emma Soteriou

Two asylum seekers who stole a £25,000 gold Rolex in London's West End last year have been allowed to walk free.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Yousef Garef, 21, and Amin Abdelkadar, 25, who both admitted to robbery, were spared jail and instead given community orders on Wednesday.

The pair attacked Kris Smith at around 2am in Soho on July 21, 2023.

Garef grabbed his gold Rolex Day Date watch while Abdelkadar covered his mouth to stop him shouting out for help.

Read more: Met Police officer numbers drop as force calls for 'thousands of applicants' in new recruitment drive

Read more: Man shot dead on residential street close to Liverpool training ground, as police launch murder investigation

Two asylum seekers who targeted a reveller for his £25,000 Rolex in London’s West End have walked free from court
Two asylum seekers who targeted a reveller for his £25,000 Rolex in London’s West End have walked free from court. Picture: Rolex

Donna Longcroft, prosecuting, said: "Mr Smith was approached by a male on an e-scooter, who was keenly interested in his watch.

"About 30 minutes later the victim was walking along Dean Street in Soho.

"He turned right onto Old Compton Street, and was approached by a male in a white bucket hat, who introduced himself as Yousef.

"They walked along Old Compton Street towards Wardour Street. Another male followed and spoke to Garef.

"Garef grabbed the right hand of the victim and put his hand over the watch... Abdelkadar hugged the victim and covered his mouth as Garef tried to take the watch.

"The victim was shouting: ‘Don’t take my watch! Don’t take my watch!'"

Yousef Garef
Yousef Garef. Picture: Met Police

Judge Adam Hiddleston said: "You followed and attacked a member of the public with the intent of stealing from him a valuable watch.

"Such offending has become a scourge of the West End.

"They have become an all too frequent occurrence in the past few years.

"These offences took place in the early hours of the morning. You were both acting as part of a group and you were targeting high value property."

Amin Abdelkadar
Amin Abdelkadar. Picture: Met police

Abdelkadar received a two-year community order and Garef received a three-year community order, with them both needing to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 40 hours of a rehabilitation activity.

A curfew has been put in place for six months, meaning they will not be able to leave the Home Office Asylum Centre in Islington between 9pm and 6am.

And as a result of a five-year criminal behaviour order, neither of them will be allowed to enter the western half of the City of Westminster or maintain contact with each other.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

(l-r) Patrick Tate, Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe

'Essex Boys' killer Michael Steele released from prison 27 years after triple gangland murders

Exercise has been found to slash the risk of deth caused by colon cancer

Exercise slashes risk of death in patients with colon cancer, study finds

Law and Justice party supported candidate for the President of Poland Karol Nawrocki

Right-wing Trump-inspired candidate wins Poland's presidential election

A shopper walking through a supermarket aisle

Calls to legally require supermarkets to reveal ‘shrinkflation’ to customers

Germany's

NATO at risk of Russia attack in next four years, warns German defence chief

A man was arrested on the scene

Eight injured in 'petrol bomb and flamethrower' attack on pro-Israel rally as man arrested

Exclusive
One young user of single-use vapes told me the ban doesn't "change anything".

'It doesn't change anything', say vape users as disposable vape ban comes into force to deter use among young people

Emergency services near to the scene at Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow, where a incident has taken place. Picture date: Sunday June 1, 2025.

Gunman opens fire at shopping centre in Ireland as man dies from 'self-inflicted' injuries and child injured

London, England. 24th May 2025. Pixie Lott wears a tshirt gifted by a fan as she presents new single 'Somebody's daughter' to the Foodie Festival audience. Cristina Massei/Alamy Live News

Pixie Lott reveals she's pregnant with second child on stage at festival

The Ukrainian leader celebrated the attack in Russia.

'Brilliant result': Zelenskyy celebrates Ukraine's attack on 40 'enemy bombers' in Russia that caused '$7bn' damage

The Royal Terrace Pier Gravesend Kent UK

Man describes rescuing 'screaming' boy from Thames after body recovered in search for missing girl

Yates on the podium, wearing the pink jersey of the race overall leader, celebrates after winning the 21th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2025. Sport - cycling. (Photo by Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse) Credit: LaPresse/Alamy Live News

Britain's Simon Yates wins first Giro d'Italia title in Rome

IDF Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin features in a video posted to X, captioned: "I visited the area of one of the GHF humanitarian aid distribution centers to set the record straight."

IDF denies responsibility after reports of 31 dead in Israeli attack near aid site

Climate activist Greta Thunberg with other activists from a human rights organization meets with journalists in Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025, ahead of their departure for the Mideast.

'We have to keep trying': Greta Thunberg sets sail on journey to bring aid relief to Gaza as activist is joined by 11 others

Wiltshire Police confirmed nine people had sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.

Boat on River Thames 'explodes' with nine people injured 'including baby' and transferred to hospital after blaze

British surgeon Dr. Victoria Rose describes the catastrophic scene at Nasser Medical Complex

'Absolute carnage': British doctor describes horror in Gaza hospital after Israel 'opens fire' on aid centre