Moment Met Police officers attacked as they pose as ‘victims’ to lure in Rolex watch thieves

The Metropolitan Police has used undercover “victim” officers to catch robbers attempting to steal luxury watches in central London.

Two operations carried out in late 2022 and 2023 across South Kensington, Chelsea, Soho and Mayfair saw officers deployed as potential targets wearing expensive watch brands.

Opportunistic criminals who then tried to steal the watches in the street were apprehended by other undercover officers nearby, with both operations leading to more than 20 convictions so far.

The robbers targeted luxury Swiss brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, which retain a high value in second-hand markets.

They tried to lure the undercover officers into a false sense of security outside bars and other venues by offering drugs or directions to sex workers.