Luxury Items Stolen From Soho Pub
A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after stealing a handbag containing a rare Fabergé egg and watch valued at at least $2.8 million (£2 million) from a London pub.
Enzo Conticello, who also used the name Hakin Boudjenoune and was of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to one count of theft and three counts of fraud. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.
The theft took place in November 2024 outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho. Prosecutors said the victim’s Givenchy handbag, valued at £1,600, was taken from a smoking area while she attended a work event.
Part of a Rare “Emerald Isle” Collection
Inside the bag was a green and gold, emerald-encrusted Fabergé egg and matching watch owned by the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, where the victim was employed. The bag also contained a laptop, wallet, AirPods and bank cards.
The court heard that the items formed part of one of seven bespoke “Emerald Isle” sets produced by the company. Each set included a Fabergé egg, a Fabergé watch, a handcrafted whiskey bottle and a cigar humidor. Three sets have reportedly sold to private collectors for between $2 million and $3 million.
The Fabergé egg and watch have not been recovered.
Fraud Attempts and Circumstances
Shortly after the theft, Conticello used the stolen bank cards to attempt purchases at nearby supermarkets. Judge Kate Livesey described the case as unusual and acknowledged the victim’s shock when discovering the loss.
The court was told Conticello acted opportunistically and was unaware of the extraordinary value of the items at the time of the theft. He later exchanged the stolen property for drugs.
His defense lawyer said he had previously worked as a chef but had lost his job, was homeless and struggled with cocaine addiction.
Sentence and Release Terms
Conticello will serve half of his 27-month sentence in custody before being released on license. Authorities continue to seek information regarding the whereabouts of the missing Fabergé pieces.