Pub thief jailed over £2.2m Fabergé theft
Pub Thief Jailed Over £2.2m Fabergé Theft
29-Year-Old Convicted of Fraud and Theft After Stolen Luxury Bag
A 29-year-old man who stole a Givenchy handbag from a central London pub has received a two-year-and-three-month prison sentence. The bag contained a rare Fabergé egg, a watch set, and other high-value items, totaling an estimated £2.2 million in worth. The theft occurred on 7 November 2024, when Rosie Dawson, the owner of the items, was outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho.
Conticello, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, was linked to the crime after attempting to use Dawson’s bank cards in a nearby store shortly afterward. The court heard he had no prior connection to the victim and was seeking “easy money” by surrendering the bag to purchase drugs. Insurers initially compensated £106,700 for the loss, though only seven Fabergé sets exist globally, each containing a jewelled egg, watch, whisky, cigars, and a humidor.
“On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour,” said Conticello’s barrister, Katie Porter-Windley.
Porter-Windley argued that the defendant had no idea the items were of exceptional value. When Recorder Kate Livesey described the Fabergé egg as “quite extraordinary looking,” the lawyer noted its “so extraordinary” nature that Conticello might not have recognized its worth at first glance. The judge emphasized that the theft caused significant stress and disruption to Dawson and her employer.
Conticello was arrested in Belfast in November 2025 for separate thefts, which later connected him to the 2024 incident. Police continue to search for the stolen Fabergé collection, with Det Const Arben Morina commenting, “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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