Man guilty of plotting £1,400,000 watch raid that led manager to kill himself

Oliver WhiteJunior Kanu is the darker of the two men - other man is on the runAn accused robber said to have grabbed watches worth ??2 million from salesman Oliver White the day before he hanged himself has been remanded in custody.Junior Kunu, 29, and an accomplice held Mr White, 27, in a chokehold as and restrained him with cable ties they plundered timepieces from the 247 Kettles store in Kew Road, Richmond on May 25, it is claimed.Mr White was found hanged in woodland in Shepperton, Surrey the following day.Wearing a black fleece Kunu spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth when he appeared at Bromley Magistrates Court charged with robbery.Ms Nwanneka Aik, prosecuting, said: ???The matter before the court relates to an incident that took place on 25 May 2024.???It was a violent robbery that took place at a watch dealership in Richmond.???Close to ??2m of watches were stolen.???Central News
The store manager Oliver White, 27, took his own life the next day ‘as a direct result’ of the robbery, in which more than 70 ‘high-value’ watches were taken, prosecutors said (Picture: Central News/Web collect)

A man has been found guilty of plotting a £1.4 million watch robbery at a luxury jewellery story that jurors were told drove the manager to take his own life.

Mannix Pedro, 37, was ‘closely involved in the planning and execution’ of the raid of the 247 Kettles shop in Richmond on May 25 last year, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

The store manager Oliver White, 27, took his own life the next day ‘as a direct result’ of the robbery, in which more than 70 ‘high-value’ watches were taken, prosecutors said.

None of the watches stolen in the robbery have been recovered, and none were insured, despite the business being a victim of theft three years earlier, jurors were told.

Mr White was said to have felt ‘extremely upset’ about the incident, during which he was tied up and put in a headlock.

A jury found Pedro, of Woking, Surrey, guilty of the offence on Wednesday by a majority verdict of 10 to one, after more than 23 hours of deliberation.

Prosecutors said the defendant did not go into the shop during the robbery, but instead organised the use of a stolen Audi as one of two getaway cars.

Alana Dredge shared on Instagram this photograph of herself with boyfriend Oliver White, describing it as their 'last photo together' taken two weeks ago A WATCH dealer has been found dead less than 24 hours after he was assaulted during a robbery at his shop. Oliver White was discovered at home by police who were alerted to a concern for his safety. Now his devastated girlfriend has posted a heartbreaking tribute online, promising to ?cherish him forever?. Alana Dredge shared on Instagram a picture of herself and her tragic partner on holiday ? saying it was ?our last photo together?, taken just a fortnight ago. Surrey Police were called to the address in Shepperton on Sunday evening. ?A man in his 20s was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are aware and are being supported,? said the force.
Alana Dredge shared on Instagram this photograph of herself with boyfriend Oliver White, describing it as their ‘last photo together’ taken together (Picture: Instagram)
Watch salesman Conor Thornton, outside Woolwich Crown Court in London as the trial continues of Mannix Pedro and Junior Kunu, who are charged with conspiring with others to commit robbery after watches worth more than ??1.3 million were stolen from a south-west London jewellery shop last year. Watch dealer Oliver White took his life a day after he was tied up and put in a headlock while more than 70 watches were robbed from 247 Kettles jewellers in Richmond, south-west London, on May 25. Picture date: Friday January 31, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Watches . Photo credit should read: James Manning/PA Wire
Watch salesman Conor Thornton outside Woolwich Crown Court (Picture: PA)

Last week, Mr White’s witness statement, given to police after the alleged attack, was read to the court.

He told detectives two men entered the shop having arranged a meeting.

‘Their body language was completely relaxed and there was nothing that made me suspect anything,’ Mr White said.

‘Four watch trays were out on display. At this point in time, I felt normal, a few moments later they stood up and started gabbing the watches.

‘They started talking to each other and said “grab the watches”. They did so in a hurried way.’

He said one man grabbed him and ‘had pinned my hands across my chest’.

Amy Keane, the mother of Oliver White, outside Woolwich Crown Court in London as the trial continues of Mannix Pedro and Junior Kunu, who are charged with conspiring with others to commit robbery after watches worth more than ?1.3 million were stolen from a south-west London jewellery shop last year. Watch dealer Oliver White took his life a day after he was tied up and put in a headlock while more than 70 watches were robbed from 247 Kettles jewellers in Richmond, south-west London, on May 25. Picture date: Friday January 31, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Watches. Photo credit should read: James Manning/PA Wire
Amy Keane, the mother of Oliver White, outside Woolwich Crown Court (Picture: PA)

‘I was feeling shocked at this point… he was the only guy who got physical with me, he then bound my wrists together.’

Mr White said he was put in a headlock and could not move as they took the watches, and his skin was left reddened.

A second defendant, Junior Kunu, 30, of Mitcham, south-west London, remains on trial charged with the same offence.

The trial continues today.

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