Pub thief jailed over £2.2m Fabergé theft

Pub Thief Jailed Over £2.2m Fabergé Theft

Enzo Conticello, a 29-year-old opportunist who stole a Givenchy handbag containing a Fabergé egg and a watch set valued at up to £2.2 million from a central London pub, has received a prison sentence exceeding two years. The theft occurred on 7 November 2024 when Rosie Dawson left the Dog and Duck pub in Soho.

At the time, Dawson had taken the items for a work event display. The bag was later found missing, and its contents—comprising a jeweled egg, a timepiece, a whisky bottle, cigars, and a humidor—have not been recovered. Conticello, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, admitted guilt to three fraud charges and one theft count during a prior hearing, leading to his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court.

Conticello’s defense highlighted his background as a former chef who lost his job during the pandemic and fell into cocaine addiction. “On the night of the incident, it was a moment of opportunity he seized, and he is truly remorseful for his actions,” stated Katie Porter-Windley, his legal representative. She added that Conticello did not recognize the items’ immense value at the time.

“The egg was quite extraordinary looking,” said Recorder Kate Livesey. “It was so extraordinary that he wouldn’t know on the face of it whether that was high value or not.”

Livesey emphasized that the theft caused significant distress to Dawson and her company. “Ms Dawson described the intense shock and panic upon realizing a bag with items of such exceptional value had been stolen,” the judge noted. “The incident has left her in incredible stress.”

Conticello was apprehended in Belfast for separate thefts in November 2025, over a year after the original crime. Police continue their search for the stolen Fabergé collection, which remains unaccounted for. Det Const Arben Morina, leading the investigation, remarked: “Conticello thought nothing of taking someone else’s belongings, and now faces a prison term due to his greed.”