The tourist stabbed before his £115,000 Breguet Tourbillon watch was wrenched from his wrist in a ‘shocking’ and violent daylight robbery in London’s Mayfair is a property developer from Manchester, MailOnline can reveal today.
Bo Khan, 55, was knifed as three men took the timepiece in Berkeley Square in front of his horrified wife Karen, 56, on the final day of their romantic break to the capital on June 9 last year.
Mr Khan says police have told him gangs of up to three men have been prowling Mayfair looking for victims – stabbing downwards into a victim’s elbow with a razor-sharp knife to cut the tendons so they are paralysed when they grab valuable timepieces from wrists.
The Mancunian property developer, who has shared images of his own horrific injuries, revealed his wife first gave chase before he flagged down a passing Audi whose driver let him jump in and drove after the gang but they vanished down a side street.
His Breguet Tourbillon ‘Extra Plat’ watch has not been recovered – but he revealed that the gang dropped another timepiece that he grabbed on the pavement and handed to police.
Describing the incident Mr Khan told MailOnline: ‘It was done with military precision. They ran from behind, one grabbed my arm, stabbed me in the elbow and dragged me to the ground by the wrist and another grabbed my watch. Despite my injuries I grappled with them. My wife ran after them but she rushed back to check on me.
‘They slashed my arm to cut tendons and paralyse me. They cut down very deep but didn’t manage it [cut the tendons]. They obviously thought the watch was worth nicking – but whether they knew its true value, I doubt it’.
‘I tried to jump in a taxi but the driver locked the doors and wouldn’t let me in. A Black Audi stopped and let me in we gave chase and got to them. I jumped out and ran but they were younger and me got away.
‘Police have told me that there are two groups who do that in Mayfair, often at night. There are Algerians who work in threes and Somalians who like to terrorise rather than grab the watch and flee.
‘It has made me feel anxious and my friends have said I’m quite a different person – but I have recovered from my injuries’.
Scotland Yard has said the tourist was visiting the city and suffered a deep wound following the horrifying incident on June 9 last year.
Extraordinary CCTV of the incident shows the gang running from the scene moments after grabbing the watch with the man’s wife giving chase.
The victim then dives on the floor to grab some valuables the gang failed to snatch as two witnesses eating fats food watch in astonishment as the robbers sprint away.
The suspects, men in their 30s, of Mediterranean appearance and medium build, ran off in the direction of Park Lane with the rare Breguet Tourbillon watch shown clearly in an attacker’s hand.
Detectives are hunting for them and have released images of the robbers today and said the couple involved have been left traumatised.
DC Eve Kelly said: ‘This violent robbery was committed in broad daylight, and it appears that the victim was specifically targeted for his watch.
‘He and his wife were left shaken, and have since received counselling to help deal with the impact of this robbery.’
If you know who these men are, call officers on 020 7321 7581 or 101. Alternatively, call on 0800 555 111 if you would prefer not to leave your name.