Capri – Fifteen seconds: that's all it took for robbers to pull off a masterstroke in Capri, stealing a valuable Richard Mille watch worth approximately €300 from the wrist of Lord Ara Darzi, a professor and member of the British House of Lords.
The incident, which occurred yesterday evening around 23:30 PM on Via Vittorio Emanuele, a stone's throw from the famous Piazzetta, was captured entirely by video surveillance cameras, with footage broadcast as a preview on Rai channels and now making the rounds around the world.
The shocking video: the attack and escape in 15 seconds
The images speak for themselves: despite the late hour, there are still many people strolling on the street. A tall, well-built man wearing shorts, a light-colored tank top, and a black hat apparently stops in front of a boutique. A short distance away, oblivious to the danger, two men are walking, their heads bowed over their smartphones. One of them, wearing a dark red shirt, is none other than Lord Ara Darzi, vacationing on the azure island with friends.
They briefly join a group that is stopping, a fatal pause. The man in white resumes walking, pauses for a moment to wait for an accomplice, and then springs into action with impressive speed: he grabs the wrist of Darzi and snatches the watch away, immediately disappearing with his accomplice.
The former junior minister in Gordon Brown's Labour government bends down to pick up his smartphone, while the excited screams of the moment are heard. He attempts a chase and attracts the attention of a Carabinieri patrol, but the robbers have already vanished.
According to some witnesses, their escape continued at a run to the Gardens of Augustus, then took the famous Via Krupp. It is suspected that from there they headed to Marina Piccola, where a boat awaited to take them to the Sorrento peninsula.
Investigations at a rapid pace: hunt for the "instigators" and accomplices
The military is now scanning images from all the island's security cameras, as well as those from the closest landing places on the mainland, searching for evidence that could help identify those responsible.
La sensational robbery, which has already gone around the world, clearly appears to be a premeditated action, planned down to the smallest detail, with the help of someone who knew the habits of the English politician.
In criminal jargon, this is referred to as the "lead"—the person who reported the intended victim's presence and movements. The fact that the two robbers knew exactly what to do and where to escape suggests meticulous preparation, including the escape route.
Now, investigators' priority is to understand where they landed and identify all those involved in this "big score." Although the faces of at least one of the robbers are clearly visible in the footage, the investigation is only just beginning and promises sensational developments.
The possibility that the person who "brought the joke" was someone close to the English politician or who in any case knew his movements very well cannot be ruled out.
The robbery alarmed the authorities and the community of Capri, a notoriously safe haven for luxury tourism, raising questions about the ability of organized crime to infiltrate even seemingly protected environments.
Article published by Giuseppe Del Gaudio on July 14, 2025, at 22:01 PM
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