The manager of a jewelry store took his own life “as a direct consequence” of a robbery in which he was bound and restrained while over £1.38m worth of watches were stolen, a court has heard.
Junior Kunu, 30, and Mannix Pedro, 37, are facing trial at Woolwich Crown Court for allegedly conspiring with others to carry out the robbery.
According to the jury, more than 70 “high-value” timepieces were taken from the 247 Kettles boutique in Richmond, located in southwest London, on May 25 of the previous year.
Both Mr. Kunu, from Mitcham, and Mr. Pedro, from Woking in Surrey, pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
During his opening statement, prosecutor Edward Brown KC explained that office manager Oliver White, 27, had been “bound” during the incident.
“However, there is a tragic aftermath to this robbery,” he remarked.
“The day after, on May 26, Oliver White took his own life as a direct consequence of the robbery.”
Mr. Brown informed the court that the defendants had distinct roles in the scheme, with Mr. Kunu entering the store to execute the theft, while Mr. Pedro, who did not enter the shop on May 25, was “intimately involved in the planning and execution,” which included utilizing a stolen Audi among two getaway vehicles.
The prosecution alleged Mr. White was first approached by the conspirators via Instagram, followed by communication on WhatsApp approximately three months prior to the robbery.
Just two days ahead of the heist, the defendants visited 247 Kettles to browse watches under the pretense of a potential purchase, having set up the meeting through Instagram, the court was informed.
Mr. Brown characterized this visit as an “aborted robbery” or a reconnaissance mission leading to the operation on May 25.
The prosecutor stated that none of the stolen watches have been recovered to date.
The trial is ongoing.
