Worrying times. Is London really this wild these days?


Former world champion Amir Khan has said he was robbed at gunpoint in London on Monday evening.
The 35-year-old posted on Twitter saying he and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, were safe after an incident in which he was confronted by two men in Leyton, with his watch being stolen.

Khan tweeted: “Just had my watch taken off me at gun point in East London, Leyton. I crossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was few steps behind me. Two men ran to me, he asked for my watch whist having a gun pointed in my face. The main thing is we’re both safe.”

 

It was probably a MoonSwatch

 

In a city of 8 million people, do street robberies and muggings happen? Yes.

Is this a new thing? No.

I would suspect they saw him posting on social media wearing what appears to be a diamond dialled Rolex Day Date and decided to go take it off him..

 

For sure robbery and muggings take place in London, especially around xmas time as i recall. However i didnt quite realise that robbery was quite so pre planned these days or so tooled up with firearms.

The picture you posted was actually taken in my city of residence Dubai, where luckily for Amir the chances of being robbed are miniscule and the chances of facing an armed robbery are even less.

 

I’d suspect that what these people see on social media helps them target people… so if they know what you have, you’re a public figure, or they know where you’ll be, you become a target.

If/when there are firearms involved you’re into the world of serious/organised crime - it is incredibly hard for people to legitimately buy firearms in the U.K., and the types you are allowed to own/the conditions under which you are allowed to own them is heavily restricted.

Something there has been an increase of in London, is what appear to be opportunistic watch/jewellery robberies of people getting into/out of expensive cars - I guess the criminal logic being that if you’re in a £100k car you probably have a watch that’s valuable?

 

It's part of a new & improved business model for criminal gangs...

17-gangs-targeting-los-angeles-mega-rich

 

I guess watches, particularly gold ones have always been worth stealing but with all the watch hype and the fact that many high end watches dno longer just have intrinsic second hand values but actually are worth more than their RRP no doubt drives a different type of focused robbery which seems to boldly target individuals. I always viewed watch robberies as something that took place as a by product of house robberies mostly when individuals were not in residence. It seems now that almost anything goes and taking a watch straight off an individual, even one who can look after himself is on the rise.
I guess i just dont get a sense of it living outside the UK but i sure do need to be aware of it whenever i visit if this activity is on the rise. I will be breaking out the Seiko's for my next visit!

 

Shots have been fired in 23 cases, and two victims have been killed

Jesus!

 

People are stupid. Bragging online. Show off. Robbers are stupid too. Richard Mille stolen ? Hard to sell. Oh Dear .....

 

It's unfortunately a reality here, at least in London. Must be hyper aware of surroundings and not draw attention to oneself.

 

Probably stolen to order…

 

Everyone gets robbed in London.

 

Well that’s a ridiculous statement.

 

Paul Thorpe had done a video on this. He named the watch brand but it was unfamiliar to me but worth £70k or thereabouts (not RM). He (Amir) had posted shots on the web of him wearing it on I think two different occasions on the day. Not worth getting shot for though.
Edit: Franck Muller Vanguard according to one news site. £71k,

 

When I’m in the city now there is a Timex or Baltic on my wrist or some under the radar vintage steel that wont be noticed. I miss the days when vintage and modern watch markets were not over heated and over hyped. when an insured watch could be replaced by simply going to a dealer. I really resent not feeling comfortable wearing what I want.

 

Ouch! hope he had insurance.
Not a fan of FM myself although i think the Crazy Hours is an interesting complication to show at parties.

 

I hear you!
If this carries on then the whole instagram flex of look at me im wearing a hot watch is going to seriously backfire if the watches become so recognisable and desirable that they are target.

 

Leyton is not an area which I would frequent wearing a solid gold Rolex

 

Amir has been robbing the public with his lackluster displays in the ring so it's probably a disgruntled boxing fan who wanted to have the money for his ringside seats back