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An apparently common theft in a pub in London turned into a million-dollar case after a backpack taken by a thief hid a Fabergé egg, a watch, and other rare jewels. The loss amounts to about R$ 15 million, and the police are still searching for the pieces
A momentary distraction in a pub in London ended up becoming one of the most absurd thefts in recent times. What seemed to be just an opportunistic theft of a bag left at the owner’s feet ended with the disappearance of a Fabergé egg, a luxury watch, and other jewels linked to an ultra-rare collection valued at up to $3 million, around R$ 15 million.
The case ended with an arrest, but not with the recovery of the pieces, which remain missing.
A theft of seconds that turned into a million-dollar case in the heart of London
The robbery occurred on November 7, 2024, outside the Dog and Duck, a traditional pub in Soho. Rosie Dawson was waiting outside when the bag that was on the ground, between her legs, was taken by Enzo Conticello, 29 years old.
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Inside it were not only cards, a laptop, and personal items. There were also high-value pieces that had been used earlier at a professional event of the Craft Irish Whiskey Company.
Security footage also showed something that worsened the understanding of the case: before taking Dawson’s bag, Conticello had already attempted to steal the belongings of another customer inside the pub. He then left and executed the theft that would gain international attention.
What was inside the stolen backpack in the pub looked like something out of a movie
The most eye-catching item was a Fabergé egg created within the Emerald Isle collection, a partnership between Fabergé and Craft Irish Whiskey. According to the brands, there are only seven sets of this type.
Each collection includes two bottles of extremely rare Irish whiskey, a Celtic Fabergé egg, an exclusive watch, a humidor, cigars, and other luxury accessories. Some of these sets have already been sold for prices between $2 million and $3 million.
The stolen egg was not only expensive. It was rare even by luxury market standards. The piece was made of 18-carat yellow gold, required over 100 hours of manual labor, received 104 diamonds, and contains a raw emerald from Zambia inside.
The accompanying watch was created in 18-carat rose gold, with automatic movement and a finish inspired by the so-called Seven Wonders of Ireland.
The thief wanted easy money and was caught just minutes later
In court, the prosecution stated that Conticello was looking for “easy money.” According to the prosecutors, he handed over the stolen bag to buy drugs and was soon linked to the crime after attempting to use the victim’s bank cards at a nearby store. The defendant, who also used the name Hakin Boudjenoune, pleaded guilty to theft and three counts of fraud.
The defense stated that he worked as a chef, lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic, and became addicted to cocaine. Attorney Katie Porter-Windley argued that the theft was an act of opportunity and that he is sincerely remorseful. The defense also claimed that he did not realize the true value of what he had taken.
The arrest was made, but the egg and the watch remain missing
In sentencing him to two years and three months in prison, the judge emphasized that the opportunistic theft caused stress and disruption to the victim and the company. Coverage of the case also pointed out that insurers paid £106,700 to the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, but this does not resolve the main issue: the egg and the watch remain missing, and the set continues to be treated as practically unrecoverable in the common market, precisely due to its extreme rarity.
The investigation remains open, and the police are still trying to locate the pieces. Detective Arben Morina stated that Conticello “had no scruples” in appropriating someone else’s belongings and made a new appeal for any information about the whereabouts of the egg and the watch to be communicated to the authorities. The case ended with an arrest, but the most valuable part of the story remains off the police’s radar.
There are thefts that seem trivial at first, but reveal an absurd scale when the story comes to light. In your opinion, can such a rare piece still reappear, or has it disappeared for good? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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