Watch dealer is found dead 24 hours after two robbers placed him in a chokehold as they raided his jewellery store

Tuesday, May 28, 2024 - A watch dealer has been found dead 24 hours after two robbers placed him in a chokehold and raided his London jewellery store.

Two unarmed thieves entered a dealership in the affluent area of Richmond in west London on Saturday afternoon, May 25, and assaulted a member of staff before stealing a number of high-value watches.

Police have now confirmed that the victim has died and his next of kin have been informed.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "We are aware of the death of a man in Surrey on Sunday, 26 May. This is being investigated by officers from Surrey Police and is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

“The man who died was the victim of a robbery at a jewellers in Richmond on Saturday, 25 May.”

“We ask that the privacy of his family is respected at this difficult time and moving CCTV footage of the incident involving the victim is not shared on social media.”

The incident, which took place at around 2.50pm on Saturday, sees the pair run off with a large loot of watches.

In the attack, the two men can be seen initially sitting at the other side of the desk from the victim, who appears to be fixing a white watch for them.

One man, wearing a grey hoodie and ripped blue jeans, sits on a bright orange seat as the dealer goes about his work. The other, wearing blue jeans, a blue and white t shirt and sunglasses on the top of his head, stands leaning over the desk while the victim is distracted by the timepiece.

The man on his feet then suddenly grabs the dealer by both arms and violently pushes him across the room on his chair into a corner.

His accomplice then hops into action and dashes to a counter in the store and sweeps up a handful of items while the other keeps the victim in a chokehold.

As the dealer tries to wriggle free, the man with the sunglasses seems to tighten his grasp to make sure he does not escape.

The staff member watches on helplessly as the other robber packs the watches into a bag, which is on the back of the man who has him in the headlock.

The victim then stops resisting as the bag continues to be filled with items from the store's shelves.

After taking as many pieces of luxury jewellery as their bag could carry, the pair appear to decide that they have taken enough and, after a hand gesture from the man with sunglasses, the other robber takes a handful of zip ties from the rucksack and lays them on the table before the video ends.

The Met Police have appealed for anyone who recognises the two men to get in touch.