A man accused of being the driver of a getaway vehicle in a £1.38 million watch shop heist claimed to police, “every man loves a watch,” according to court proceedings.
In May of the previous year, more than 70 high-end watches were stolen from 247 Kettles located in Richmond, south-west London.
Junior Kunu, 30, from Mitcham, and Mannix Pedro, 37, from Woking, Surrey, have both pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.
During the trial, the court was informed that the store’s manager, Oliver White, tragically took his own life “as a direct consequence” of the robbery incident.
Mr. Pedro, who did not enter the store during the theft, was described as being “deeply involved” in the planning and execution of the crime, which included utilizing a stolen Audi as one of the two getaway vehicles, testimonies revealed.
In his police interview, he stated that he worked “with cars and clothing” but had never engaged in purchasing or selling watches, claiming that a Rolex in his residence was counterfeit.
“I believe every man has an admiration for watches—cars, watches, and women,” he noted in a segment of his police interview presented to the court.
Detectives retrieved data from one of Mr. Pedro’s mobile phones which indicated searches for “Rolex watch dial” conducted the day prior to his arrest.
The court was also informed that images corresponding to Kettles 247’s master stock list had been transmitted from phone numbers associated with Mr. Pedro.
None of the watches have been recovered to date.
Previously in the trial, prosecution barrister Edward Brown KC mentioned to the jurors that two additional suspects had fled abroad shortly after the robbery, remaining at large.
Following the judge’s lifting of reporting restrictions, these suspects have been named as Kyle Bowrage and Michael Ashman.
According to CCTV and phone tracking evidence, Mr. Pedro was seen traveling from Richmond to Woking after the heist, then proceeding to Colchester in Essex, the court heard.
Later that evening, a mobile phone linked to the suspects was reportedly used to search for an orbital watch winder—a device utilized for automatic watches.
Mr. Pedro was subsequently recorded at Clacket Lane motorway services off the M25, before mobile data suggested he returned home in the early hours.
The following evening, he drove to Mr. Bowrage’s residence in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and then continued on to Sheffield and Doncaster, before heading back to Mr. Bowrage’s home.
The pair were said to have departed for London the next morning, as presented to the court.
The trial is ongoing.
