By SCM Reporter I Friday, August 07, 2026
THIS is the dramatic moment a hawk-eyed undercover police officer tackled a Lime bike thief who tried to rip a £250,000 super-watch off a passerby’s wrist in broad daylight.
Brahim Keddad, 29, thought he had snagged the jackpot after stalking high-rollers through London’s ultra-glitzy Mayfair on an e-bike. But the clueless crook had no idea a team of plain-clothed Metropolitan Police officers was watching his every move.
Today, the serial stalker is behind bars after being jailed for two years and four months at Southwark Crown Court following a blitz on luxury watch gangs in the capital.
The court heard how four Met officers were out on a proactive undercover patrol down Jermyn Street—a hotspot for high-end boutique shopping—on Friday, May 1, when Keddad caught their attention.
Suspicious officers spotted the Islington resident walking at a snail’s pace along the pavement, paying uncomfortably close attention to wealthy shoppers and visitors passing by.
Sensing trouble, one brave officer jumped out of an unmarked police car to tail Keddad on foot. Seconds later, the suspect hopped onto a rented Lime e-bike, pedalled down the street, and swooped in on his unsuspecting victim from behind.
Keddad grabbed the victim’s wrist, attempting to wrench off a rare Richard Mille timepiece valued at a eye-watering £250,000.
Despite being totally isolated without immediate backup, the courageous undercover officer didn’t hesitate. He sprints down the street, throwing himself into the fray to apprehend the 29-year-old mugger on the spot.
A quick-thinking member of the public rushed in to assist the officer as they pinned Keddad to the pavement. Backup units arrived at the Mayfair scene within minutes to bundle the crook into a van and return the quarter-of-a-million-pound watch unharmed to its relieved owner.
Keddad, of Seven Sisters Road, Islington, was later charged and admitted attempted robbery before being hauled in front of a judge today.
Detective Sergeant Andy Swindells, who led the investigation for the Metropolitan Police, praised his officer’s quick instincts and highlighted the power of covert operations.
He said: “This case highlights the invaluable benefit of plain-clothed officers being on patrol. We were able to spot and arrest Keddad within minutes, returning the valuable watch to its owner and preventing others who live or visit in London from being victims.”
DS Swindells added: “Our work is having an impact, with neighbourhood crime—things like theft and robbery—down by 14 per cent in the past year. That is the equivalent of 35,000 fewer offences reported across London.
”The Met continues to carry out intelligence-led patrols and targeted operations to identify offenders, disrupt criminal networks, and protect the public. As a result, we’re getting more offenders like Keddad off the street.”
The high-profile bust comes as official figures show London’s notorious watch-snatch epidemic is finally being smashed by police crackdowns.
In prime targets across Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, and Hammersmith & Fulham, watch thefts plunged by more than 50 per cent in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025—falling from 213 incidents down to 97.
Met-wide data also shows theft from the person has plummeted by 23 per cent across the capital (more than 23,000 fewer offences), while personal robberies dropped 11 per cent, sparing nearly 3,000 Londoners from street crime.
