• A man has been jailed for two years after stealing a handbag containing a Fabergé egg and watch set valued at £2.2M from a London pub.
• Enzo Conticello, 29, stole the bag from Rosie Dawson, which also included personal belongings and attempted to use her stolen bank cards shortly after the theft.
• The court highlighted the impact of the crime on the victim, noting significant emotional distress caused by the theft.

Enzo Conticello, a 29-year-old man, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison after stealing a handbag containing a Fabergé egg and watch set valued at approximately £2.2 million (US$3 million) from outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho, London on November 7, 2024. The handbag, owned by Rosie Dawson and worth £1,600, held the luxury items belonging to her employer, the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, along with personal belongings including a laptop and bank cards, according to South China Morning Post and BBC.

During sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed that Conticello, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, acted "opportunistically" and had planned to use the stolen bank cards to make purchases shortly after the theft. Judge Kate Livesey described the victim's reaction as one of "shock and panic" at discovering the theft of such valuable items, which were part of a limited series of bespoke items, according to CBS News and BBC.

The luxury items, which include one of only seven Fabergé sets produced, were not recovered following the theft. Prosecutor Julian Winship stated that as insurers paid £106,700 to the Craft Irish Whiskey Company for the loss, the case drew significant attention due to the high value and rarity of the stolen goods. Conticello's lawyer indicated that he had previously worked as a chef before losing his job during the pandemic and that cocaine addiction influenced his decision to steal, as he intended to exchange the bag for drugs, according to South China Morning Post and CBS News.

Furthermore, Conticello was linked to the crime shortly after it occurred when he attempted to use Dawson's stolen bank cards at nearby stores. The police, led by Detective Constable Arben Morina, have stated that their investigation into locating the missing Fabergé egg and watch remains ongoing, highlighting the broader implications of theft on victims and communities, according to BBC, South China Morning Post, and CBS News.