Pub thief jailed over £2.2m Fabergé theft

Pub Thief Sentenced for £2.2m Fabergé Heist

Opportunistic Crime Leaves High-Value Items Missing

Enzo Conticello, 29, has received a two-year-and-three-month prison sentence for stealing a Givenchy handbag from a central London pub. The bag contained a rare Fabergé egg, a watch, and other items estimated to be worth up to £2.2 million. The theft occurred on 7 November 2024 as Rosie Dawson stood outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho. She had recently taken the items for display at a work event, and they were still in her possession at the time of the crime.

Conticello, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, admitted guilt to three fraud charges and one theft count at a prior hearing. The court learned he targeted the bag for “easy money” and intended to use its contents to purchase drugs. His actions were tied to the theft when he attempted to swipe Dawson’s bank cards in a nearby store shortly after the incident. Despite the loss, insurers compensated £106,700 for the damage.

“On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour,” stated Katie Porter-Windley, Conticello’s barrister. She noted his previous role as a chef, his job loss during the pandemic, and his descent into cocaine addiction. “He did not realise how valuable the items were that he had stolen,” she added.

Conticello was arrested in Belfast in November 2025 for unrelated thefts, over a year after the handbag incident. His connection to the 2024 crime emerged through the use of Dawson’s cards. Recorder Kate Livesey, who delivered the sentence, highlighted the “opportunistic” nature of the theft, emphasizing the stress and disruption it caused Dawson and her employer. “Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen,” the judge noted.

Police continue to search for the Fabergé egg and watch, which are part of only seven existing sets. Det Const Arben Morina, leading the investigation, remarked: “Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone else’s possessions, and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed.”

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