Ealing Rolex Thief Jailed After Being Caught in Sting
Robber attempted to strangle undercover police officer
Abdi-Rahman Khaliif-Ali. Picture: Met Police
June 30, 2025
A 26-year-old man from Ealing will serve a minimum of four years and nine months in jail after attempting to rob a Rolex watch from an undercover police office.
Abdi-Rahman Khaliif-Ali was operating in the West End looking to steal high value timepieces. He approached the officer, not knowing he was part of an undercover sting investigating street robberies in the area.
Khaliif-Ali offered to take him to the nearest train station, which was Covent Garden, although the robber told the officer was Tottenham Court Road station when they arrived there. Khaliif-Ali, who was on licence at the time of the attack, kept telling the officer they were “not far” from their destination.
After asking Khaliif-Ali to direct him to Wardour Street, the officer noticed he was looking at and speaking about his watch.
When they approached a set of stairs, Khaliif-Ali grabbed the officer’s neck from behind and started to strangle him.
He attempted to remove the watch but failed. As Khaliif-Ali attacked the victim, another police officer arrived and arrested him. The attack left the undercover officer with a swollen lip, swelling and cuts to his face.
Having previously pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob and intentional strangulation at a plea hearing in January, Khaliif-Ali received a life sentence with the minimum term last week at Southwark Crown Court.
Claire Campbell of the Crown Prosecution Service said, “This was a sustained and serious attack from a violent individual determined to steal the victim’s watch by any means necessary.
“This would have been a terrifying experience for the victim, despite being a trained undercover police officer who was protecting the streets of our capital. It is deeply concerning to think about what the consequences might have been if this happened to a member of the public. Khaliif-Ali will now be behind bars for a significant period of time.
“The CPS will continue to work with and support our police partners who are playing a vital role in tackling the issue of watch thefts in London.”
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