An Algerian migrant who stalked the streets of Mayfair to target wealthy shoppers for their luxury watches has been jailed. 

Abdulkarim Ienbuzir, 25, stole more than £100,000 of high-value timepieces during a crime spree in the capital last summer.

The 'systematic predator' stole a £5,000 Cartier watch, £18,000 Hublot and £85,000 Patek Phillipe timepiece from three victims over three months. 

Aided by an Arabic interpreter, Ienbuzir, of Liverpool, was jailed for four and a half years at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.

The court heard his first victim, Finbar Breslin, was targeted as he walked along Berkeley Street in Mayfair on July 17 last year.

Mr Breslin described being approached by Ienbuzir and an accomplice as he took his phone out of his pocket, the court heard.  

'A conversation took place and he described both males got close to him. One of them was in front of him, and the other was to his side,' prosecutor Henna Baig said.

'Without warning, the defendant grabbed the wrist and stole his [£5,000 Cartier] watch.' 

Ienbuzir snatched an £18,000 Hublot watch from Matthew Payton in Mayfair on August 1.

The thief, with other unknown men, also robbed Thomas Pope of his £85,000 Patek Phillipe timepiece outside the Ritz Hotel on September 18.

The prosecutor said: 'Similar to the August robbery, a very quick grab of the wrist, and it was this defendant acting with another person.

'On each offence, the defendant was identified or linked to the robbery by CCTV footage.'

Ms Baig continued: 'All three robberies have a similar method, in that the defendant, along with other people, on three separate occasions, targeted members of the public, stole high-value watches, and on one occasion a phone.' 

Passing sentence Judge Mark Cole told Ienbuzir: 'You acted as a systematic predator.

'You knew exactly what you were looking for, you loitered in parts of London where you hoped to find people wearing high-value watches.

'You found them, and you swooped.'

He said the 'shock and fear' resulting from his offending is 'exemplified' by the words of Mr Payton, who said told police 'could not help but think of the worst-case scenario.'

The judge said Ienbuzir had 'little in mitigation' beyond the fact that he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and was sceptical of the Algerian's claim that his father had recently died.

Mr Cole said: 'Forgive me for being cynical… but he had told provable lies to the officer that he was in London to check on his asylum application, when in fact he is an absconder.'

Defending, Michaela Onuchukwu said she could not verify Ienbuzir's bereavement.

She added: 'He is under no illusion that custody is almost a certainty, to quote a previous judge.'

Ienbuzir was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison concurrent on each offence.

Passing sentence the judge said Ienbuzir would have served up to six years imprisonment 'were it not for your guilty plea.'

The Algerian remained stoney-faced in the dock.

Ienbuzir has three previous convictions for a total of five offences, two of which relate to theft of items other than watches in 2023 and 2024.