Robbery suspect said 'every man loves a watch'

A man accused of driving a getaway car in a £1.38m watch shop robbery told police "every man loves a watch", a court has heard.

More than 70 high value watches were taken from 247 Kettles in Richmond, south-west London, in May last year.

Junior Kunu, 30, of Mitcham, and Mannix Pedro, 37, of Woking in Surrey, deny conspiracy to commit robbery.

The court heard earlier in the trial that the manager of the store, Oliver White, took his own life "as a direct result" of the robbery.

Mr Pedro, who did not enter the shop during the robbery, was "closely involved" in the planning and execution of the incident, including the use of a stolen Audi as one of two getaway cars, the court heard.

In a police interview he told officers he worked "in cars and clothing" and had never bought or sold watches, adding a Rolex in his home was fake.

"I think every man loves a watch - cars, watches and women," he said in the transcript of his police interview read to the court.

Data extracted by detectives from one of Mr Pedro's phones showed searches for "Rolex watch dial" were made the day before his arrest.

The court heard images matching Kettles 247's master stocklist were also sent by phone numbers belonging to Mr Pedro.

None of the watches have been recovered.

Earlier in the trial, the prosecution barrister Edward Brown KC told jurors that two further suspects fled abroad soon after the robbery and have not yet been arrested.

After the judge lifted reporting restrictions, these men can be named as Kyle Bowrage and Michael Ashman.

CCTV and phone tracking showed Mr Pedro travelled from Richmond to Woking after the incident and then to Colchester in Essex, the court heard.

Later that night a mobile phone linked to the suspects was used to search for an orbital watch winder - a device used for mechanical watches.

Mr Pedro was then seen at Clacket Lane motorway services off the M25 before mobile phone data indicated he reached home in the early hours.

The following night he drove to Mr Bowrage's home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and then to Sheffield and Doncaster - before returning to Mr Bowrage's home.

The pair then set off for London the following morning, the court was told.

The trial continues.

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