A man who stole a handbag containing a Fabergé egg and watch in Soho has been jailed after a Met investigation.

Enzo Conticello, also known as Hakim Boudjenoune, 29 (24.06.1996), of no fixed address, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, 9 April to two years and three months. He pleaded guilty at the same court on Tuesday, 24 February to theft and fraud by false representation.

It follows an extensive investigation by Met detectives, who travelled to Belfast to arrest the suspect after the Police Service of Northern Ireland had detained him for an unrelated theft offence.

Officers continue to appeal for information about the missing items and are keen to hear from anyone who may have been offered them for sale or with information about their current whereabouts.

Detective Constable Arben Morina, who is leading the Met’s investigation, said: “Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone else’s possessions – and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed.

“This theft has had a significant impact on the victim, who was on her way home from a work event when she was targeted.

“The defendant never explained to the police what he did with the expensive jewellery. Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing and we’d urge anyone with information to contact us.”

The investigation

Police launched an investigation after a woman reported that her handbag had been stolen as she spoke to friends outside a pub in Bateman Street, Soho, at around 21:50hrs on 7 November 2024.

The handbag contained a rare Fabergé egg and watch which had been on display at an event earlier in the evening, as well as the victim’s computer and purse.

Detectives from the Met’s Central West Proactive team carried out extensive enquiries following the theft to trace two suspects.

CCTV showed Conticello stealing the bag and attempting to steal another rucksack in the venue a few minutes earlier. Footage also showed him using the stolen bank cards in convenience stores in the hours after the theft.

He was identified by officers and attempts were made to arrest him at his last known address. However, they were unable to locate him despite extensive enquiries at locations he was known to frequent.

Conticello was circulated as wanted and officers were alerted by the PSNI after he was arrested in Belfast on 9 November 2025 for unrelated theft offences. During his arrest in Belfast, he had given police a different name and presented false Irish identity documentation in the same name.

Detectives from the Met travelled to Belfast to arrest Conticello as he was released from Maghaberry Prison on Wednesday, 26 January. He was flown to London and appeared before Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 27 January.

A second man was identified from CCTV footage. A 32-year-old man was arrested on 24 November 2024 on suspicion of theft of the bag and fraudulent use of the stolen cards. He accepted a caution for the fraud offences. No further action was taken against him for the theft offence.

Police enquiries to find the missing Fabergé items are ongoing. The egg is around 10cm high and is green and gold in colour. The watch is rose gold with a brown leather strap.

The egg and watch are part of a limited edition run of matching items produced by Fabergé. In 2024, a similar set of items was auctioned together with a rare bottle of whiskey for $2.8m.

A 25-year-old man was arrested on 20 November 2024 on suspicion of handling stolen goods after the company that commissioned the egg and watch were approached with questions about the items’ value. Following a review of the evidence, a decision was made to take no further action in his case.

Anyone with information about the Fabergé egg and watch is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 01/1057202/24, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.