During court proceedings, it was revealed that the co-owner of a jewelry shop from which £1.38 million worth of watches were stolen did not perceive the burglary as an “inside job.”
Oliver White, 27, who served as the office manager at 247 Kettles located in Richmond, south-west London, tragically took his own life one day after the theft of over 70 high-end watches on May 25 of the previous year.
Amy Keane, Mr. White’s mother, testified at Woolwich Crown Court, describing her son as a “dedicated young man” who had an optimistic view of others.
Junior Kunu, 30, from south-west London, and Mannix Pedro, 37, from Woking, Surrey, both face charges of colluding with others in the robbery and have denied any involvement.
When asked by prosecutor Edward Brown KC if she considered her son to be trusting or cautious, Ms. Keane responded, “Ollie was the epitome of a carefree individual… He brought joy and fun into everything he did. He was generally trusting and didn’t tend to be suspicious.”
Members of Mr. White’s family were visibly emotional in the public gallery as Ms. Keane shared her testimony.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court learned that 247 Kettles had been alerted by police in February 2024 regarding potential robbery threats, and that Connor Thornton and fellow owner Joe Riley were away in New York during the incident.
Jurors were informed that none of the stolen watches were insured, despite a previous theft occurring at the business three years prior.
Defending Mr. Kunu, Tyrone Smith KC noted that the shop’s proprietors met with Mr. White the day following the heist.
From behind a screen, Mr. Thornton mentioned that Mr. White was questioned about why he had allowed individuals who appeared suspicious into the store, and why he did not activate the alarm or contact law enforcement sooner.
Mr. Smith asserted, “He was accused of being complicit, wasn’t he?” to which Mr. Thornton replied, “No.”
Mr. Smith continued, “You were confused by Mr. White’s actions, and your only conclusion was that this was an inside job, which you communicated to him, correct?” Mr. Thornton denied this assertion.
Mr. Smith informed the jury that the CCTV footage from the second meeting, which occurred in the store’s office, was no longer accessible and had not been reviewed by anyone, including the authorities.
When questioned about whether anyone had removed the hard drives from the store’s surveillance system, Mr. Thornton stated, “Both boxes were replaced following the incident.”
The shop was primarily known for its “high-end” Rolex watches, with prices varying from £3,000 to £70,000, the jury heard.
In terms of security precautions, the store was equipped with CCTV, panic buttons, magnetic-lock doors, and a smoke system.
Mr. Thornton remarked that he informed Mr. White the watches were uninsured and emphasized that he had known him for over a decade, regarding him as “certainly a good friend.”
Mr. Thornton added that Mr. White was well-versed in the protocols during a robbery and that he had faith in his managerial capabilities.
When Mr. Brown inquired how Mr. White appeared during the meeting after the robbery, Mr. Thornton said, “He was still somewhat in shock from the events of the previous day, but aside from that, there wasn’t anything particularly concerning.”
Evidence previously presented indicated that Mr. White was physically restrained during the theft.
The trial is ongoing.
