According to the BBC, Ben Thompson was attacked and had his Rolex watch stolen in London on March 11, 2024. His Rolex was worth £7,000, a gift from his partner Andy Roche for his 40th birthday, and was custom-engraved. In the same incident, Roja Dove had his diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe watch, worth £150,000, stolen.
Three gang members attacked the pair, grabbing Thompson and throwing Dove to the ground. Two of the assailants were identified through CCTV and sentenced at London's Old Bailey this week. Defendant Danis Tom-Deter, 36, admitted the offences and was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
Defendant Hocine Boulanouar, 26, denied his two charges of robbery and was given four years and three months in prison. Ben Thompson said in his victim impact statement that after the attack, his behaviour has changed – he no longer feels safe in London and is nervous and jumpy when he hears a jogger or cyclist approaching behind him. Roja Dove said in his victim statement that he has worked hard for everything he has, with the watch being a present to himself when he turned 65, and the theft has meant all his hard work has been pointless.
He added that when he walks through the streets of central London, he feels like he is on high alert and very nervous, feeling very unsafe in a city he has loved his entire life. Ben Thompson has a scar on his wrist from the assault and has suffered flashbacks and anxiety since the attack. It is not known what happened to the third gang member involved in the attack or whether the stolen watches were recovered.
The specific evidence that led to the identification of the assailants through CCTV has not been disclosed.