Abu Dhabi royals robbed of £600,000 in jewellery in London

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Abu Dhabi royals robbed of £600,000 in jewellery in London

June 21, 2026

LONDON,— A group of Algerian migrants has been convicted in London after stealing jewellery valued at 600,000 British pounds from members of the Abu Dhabi royal family outside St Pancras station in London in 2025 shortly after the victims arrived on the Eurostar, British media reported.

Inner London Crown Court heard that members of the gang discussed their intent in WhatsApp messages, stating that they had come to the United Kingdom to steal because, in their words, “that’s where the money is.”

The victims, Sheikha Roda bint Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, her mother Shamsa, and Najla Al Qubaisi, had just left St Pancras station and entered a taxi on October 16, 2025.

Roda is the daughter of Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is the son of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the brother of current UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

As the driver loaded luggage into the vehicle, the group struck when he became distracted, stealing three suitcases and fleeing at around 11pm. Two of the cases contained jewellery worth more than 600,000 pounds, none of which has been recovered.

Abdel Aitkebir, 35, and Medhi Fatih, 41, were jailed for the theft. Their associate Faysal Benoumechiara, 27, was also imprisoned for a series of other thefts involving five bags over 11 months, worth an additional 81,000 pounds.

Aitkebir told the court he sold the stolen suitcases and jewellery for just under 10,000 pounds to a market trader in south London, about 1.7 percent of the total value. He received a two year and six month sentence, while Fatih was sentenced to two years and three months.

The Nahyan family, to which the victims belong, is the ruling dynasty of Abu Dhabi and one of the wealthiest families in the world, with an estimated fortune exceeding 250 billion pounds and major stakes in oil resources.

Court evidence showed Aitkebir and Fatih entered the United Kingdom illegally in July 2025. WhatsApp messages recovered from Benoumechiara’s phone included statements encouraging the group to target wealthy victims and steal watches and money, saying the country offered opportunities for theft.

On the night of the robbery, CCTV showed Aitkebir and Fatih loitering outside St Pancras station and observing potential targets. At about 10.45pm, the three women walked towards a waiting vehicle.

Before the luggage was placed in the boot, an unidentified man distracted the driver while Aitkebir and Fatih grabbed the bags and ran. Photographs of jewellery were later found on Fatih’s phone.

Inside the bags was more than £600,000 worth of golden necklaces, bracelets and earrings of Abu Dhabi royals, 2025. Photo: British Police.

Prosecutor Diana Wilson said the victims were extremely wealthy and did not typically retain receipts for valuable items.

Aitkebir admitted theft and told the court through an interpreter that he sold the items three days after the incident, claiming he needed money for food and shelter and apologising for his actions.

He also said he had worked illegally in construction for cash and claimed he was not part of a wider group, describing the incident as spontaneous.

However, Judge Benedict Kelleher said the theft was clearly planned, with victims targeted because of their wealth.

WhatsApp messages indicated the group regularly used St Pancras station as a location for targeting victims. Messages included coordination between members in October and November 2025, as well as images of passengers and luxury goods.

Benoumechiara, while not involved in the royal theft, was convicted of multiple other thefts between December 2024 and November 2025, including incidents at King’s Cross and St Pancras stations.

Three men, Medhi Fatih, Abdel Aitkebir, and Faysal Benoumechiara, part of an Algerian gang were jailed. Photo: British Police.

He was arrested on November 4, 2025, alongside other suspects after being caught stealing luggage. He and several others received nine month sentences after pleading guilty.

A seventh suspect, Yacine Chenite, was also arrested in connection with an attempted theft in October 2025 and was later sentenced alongside others.

All defendants were brought before Inner London Crown Court following investigations by police into a series of coordinated thefts across central London railway hubs.

The court proceedings detailed how evidence from CCTV footage, mobile phone data, and recovered communications contributed to the convictions and sentencing outcomes.

Authorities said the cases highlighted repeated targeting of passengers carrying high-value belongings in busy transport locations during late evening hours. No additional incidents were referenced in this case proceedings.

(With files from The Times UK, The Daily Mail, Agencies)