Abu Dhabi Royals Robbed of £600K After Arriving in UK; Gang Messages Boasted Britain 'Is Where the Money Is'

Police have revealed that a gang targeted the Abu Dhabi royals after they arrived at St Pancras International in London in June 2025, stealing luggage containing jewellery and valuables worth more than £600,000.

Two men, Medhi Fatih and Abdel Aitkebir, have since been jailed for the theft, while prosecutors said messages recovered from another suspect's phone showed a massive network allegedly targeting wealthy travellers.

The case emerged after British Transport Police investigated a coordinated theft outside the central London station, where members of the group were accused of distracting a chauffeur before taking three bags belonging to members of the Abu Dhabi royal family. The stolen items included high-value jewellery, and police later recovered images of some of the gold items on Fatih's phone.

Abu Dhabi Royals Targeted In A Planned St Pancras Theft

The court heard that the thieves appeared to identify their victims before the robbery took place. CCTV footage showed the men positioning themselves near the vehicle as the family arrived from the Eurostar, with one person allegedly distracting the driver while Fatih and Aitkebir took the luggage.

Judge Benedict Kelleher said the attack involved planning and coordination, telling the court that the group had noticed the vehicle and positioned themselves ready to steal once the family arrived.

'As they walked through the station, it would have been obvious to you they were wealthy. You were clearly targeting them for that reason,' the judge said.

Fatih, 41, was admitted to stealing the bags containing more than £600,000 ($796,000) worth of jewellery on 16 June 2025 and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Aitkebir, 35, also pleaded guilty and received a two-year and six-month sentence after submitting a false basis of plea, according to the court report.

Both men denied removing or hiding the stolen property before leaving the scene. However, investigators linked them to a wider investigation into luggage thefts around London railway stations.

Railway Theft Network

The investigation expanded after police examined the phone of Faysal Benoumechiara, 27, who was arrested alongside other suspects. Officers found WhatsApp messages that they said indicated a group operating around transport hubs and searching for valuable items.

One message recovered by police included the statement: 'I did not come here to take tops or I don't know what. I come here to get the watches and get the money. This country is where the money is.'

Benoumechiara was convicted of a series of thefts involving passengers' luggage between December 2024 and November 2025. The court heard that the offences amounted to around £81,000 ($107,000) in stolen goods.

His alleged targets included passengers on trains and people collecting luggage outside stations. In one incident, he was accused of stealing bags containing designer items, clothing, and personal belongings valued at £60,835 ($80,700) from a train travelling from King's Cross to Peterborough.

Judge Kelleher described Benoumechiara as operating with others as a professional luggage thief and sentenced him to two years and three months in prison.

Robbers Targeting High Value Travellers

The Abu Dhabi royal theft was one of the most significant incidents examined during the investigation because of the value of the stolen property and the alleged targeting of international travellers. Police said the group appeared to target people they believed were carrying expensive items.

The stolen jewellery and other items were not all recovered, although investigators obtained evidence from CCTV footage and digital material during the inquiry.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about organised theft around major transport hubs, where criminals can exploit busy environments and arriving passengers who may be distracted by travel arrangements.

Fatih entered the UK illegally in July 2025, while Aitkebir had overstayed a visa from April 2023, according to the court report. Both men were arrested on the same day as Benoumechiara during the wider police operation.

The convictions followed an investigation into a group that prosecutors said had operated across London stations, with officers using surveillance footage, phone evidence, and witness accounts to build the case.