Thief Sentenced for Stealing Valuable Fabergé Egg
An opportunistic thief who stole a handbag containing an emerald-encrusted Fabergé egg and watch set valued at up to £2.2 million from a central London pub has been sentenced to over two years in prison.
Enzo Conticello, 29, took Rosie Dawson's handbag, which she had placed between her legs on the ground while standing outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho on 7 November 2024.
The Fabergé items were inside the handbag after Dawson had brought them for display at a work event earlier that evening. The stolen items have not been recovered.
Conticello, also known by the alias Hakin Boudjenoune, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation and one count of theft at a previous hearing.
CCTV footage showed Conticello inside the pub attempting to steal another customer's bag before moving outside, where he was filmed removing Dawson's handbag.
The court heard that Conticello was seeking "easy money" and had handed over the stolen bag, which also contained a laptop and credit cards, in exchange for drugs.
He was linked to the handbag theft after attempting to use Dawson's bank cards in a nearby shop within minutes of the theft.
Details of the Fabergé Items and Insurance Payout
Fabergé is a renowned luxury jeweller founded in Russia in 1842, famous for its gem and precious metal eggs.
Insurers paid out £106,700 for the loss to Dawson's employers, the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, although Prosecutor Julian Winship noted that only seven Fabergé sets—including a jewelled egg, watch, whisky bottle, cigars, and humidor—exist worldwide.
The egg is crafted from 18-carat yellow gold and required over 100 hours to create. It is set with 104 diamonds and contains an uncut emerald from Zambia. The accompanying watch, inspired by one of the "Seven Wonders of Ireland," weighs 22 carats and is encased in rose gold.
Defence and Background of the Offender
Conticello's barrister, Katie Porter-Windley, stated that he previously worked as a chef but lost his job during the Covid pandemic and subsequently developed a cocaine addiction.
"On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour,"
Conticello was arrested for separate theft offences in Belfast in November 2025, more than a year after the handbag theft, and was then linked to the 2024 crime.
Porter-Windley told the court that Conticello did not realise the high value of the items he had stolen.
When Recorder Kate Livesey remarked that the egg was "quite extraordinary looking," Porter-Windley responded,
"It was so extraordinary that he wouldn't know on the face of it whether that was high value or not."
Sentencing and Police Investigation
Sentencing Conticello to two years and three months in prison, Recorder Livesey described the theft as "opportunistic" and noted the "inconvenience and stress" caused to Dawson and her company.
"Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen, and the incredible stress this incident has caused her,"
Police continue to search for the missing egg and watch.
Detective Constable Arben Morina, leading the investigation, said,
"Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone else's possessions, and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed."
"Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing and we'd urge anyone with information to contact us."
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