Cops come up with innovative way to nab thieves of expensive watches, sting op gets kudos. Watch

The focus was on snatching high-end watches, specifically Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet timepieces, with values reaching hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Watch the video below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pubity (@pubity)

In the released footage, an undercover officer, initially propositioned for a visit to a brothel, walks alongside a would-be robber, surrounded by four accomplices. The police intervene, tasering one thief and rugby-tackling another.

Another clip shows a different undercover officer having his watch stolen after being led into a side street by two men who had befriended him.

Instagram users were quick to express their views on the said footage. One said, “Brilliant strategy, but now everyone knows.” A second added, “Fantastic. Make criminals afraid again.” A third user said, “Brilliant! Now all those watch thieves will know their…time is coming, thanks to the long hand of the law.”

Between April and September 2022, nearly 2,000 robberies, including 300 watch thefts, occurred across Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, marking a 4 per cent increase from the previous six-month period.

Two undercover operations led to a significant reduction in watch robberies during the summer of 2023. A total of 27 men were arrested, all charged, and 14 of the 21 convicted individuals received sentences totaling 26 years in prison.