Pub thief jailed over £2.2m Fabergé theft

Pub Thief Jailed Over £2.2m Fabergé Theft

A man who stole a handbag holding a gemstone-encrusted Fabergé egg and a luxury watch set, estimated to be worth up to £2.2 million, from a London pub has received a two-year-and-three-month prison sentence. Enzo Conticello, 29, took Rosie Dawson’s bag while she stood outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho on 7 November 2024.

Conticello, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, was linked to the crime after using Dawson’s credit cards at a nearby store within minutes of the theft. The handbag, which contained the stolen items, was placed between her legs on the ground during the incident. The Fabergé collection included a jeweled egg, watch, whiskey bottle, cigars, and a humidor, all of which were displayed at a work event earlier that evening.

The court heard that Conticello aimed to gain “easy money” and had handed the bag over to purchase drugs. His barrister, Katie Porter-Windley, noted he had previously worked as a chef but lost his job during the pandemic, leading to a cocaine dependency. She emphasized that Conticello was unaware of the items’ immense value, stating, “On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour.”

“On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour,” said Katie Porter-Windley.

Fabergé, a Russian-based jeweller established in 1842, is celebrated for its intricate gemstone eggs and other precious artifacts. Despite the loss, insurers compensated Dawson’s employer, the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, with £106,700. However, Prosecutor Julian Winship highlighted that only seven Fabergé sets of this kind exist globally.

Recorder Kate Livesey, delivering the sentence, described the theft as “opportunistic” and noted it caused significant “inconvenience and stress” to Dawson and her company. She added, “Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen, and the incredible stress this incident has caused her.”

“Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen, and the incredible stress this incident has caused her,” said Recorder Kate Livesey.

Conticello was arrested in Belfast in November 2025, over a year after the theft, and was later tied to the 2024 crime. Police continue to search for the missing Fabergé items, with Det Con Arben Morina commenting, “Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone else’s possessions, and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed.”

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