Pair Guilty of Jewellery Shop Robbery That Led to 27-Year-Old Manager Oliver White’s Suicide

The conviction of three men for a violent £1.38 million jewellery shop robbery in Richmond has drawn renewed attention to the devastating chain of events that followed, culminating in the tragic suicide of 27-year-old store manager Oliver White. The incident, which unfolded at the 247 Kettles shop on 25 May 2024, involved the theft of more than 70 high-value watches and left the young manager traumatised after being tied up and held in a headlock during the raid.

The court heard that the distress he endured was so profound that it directly contributed to his decision to take his own life the following day. As further details emerged during multiple trials at Woolwich Crown Court, the case shed light on failures of preparation, lingering questions about motive, and the profound human cost of the crime.

The Robbery and Its Immediate Fallout

The robbery at the 247 Kettles watch shop was meticulously planned but violently executed, according to prosecutors. On the afternoon of 25 May 2024, a group of men entered the Richmond premises and carried out a coordinated raid in which Oliver White was restrained, tied up, and placed in a headlock while the suspects seized high-value watches from the displays. More than 70 pieces were taken, valued collectively at approximately £1.38 million.

For a boutique business that already had a history of being targeted, the scale of the theft was catastrophic, made more so by the fact that the shop was operating without insurance. The absence of insurance proved a significant factor in the aftermath. Prosecutors revealed that the business had been the victim of a previous theft three years earlier, yet had still not secured coverage to protect against future losses.

The court heard that Oliver White, who took immense pride in his work and was known by colleagues and friends as diligent, enthusiastic, and deeply committed to his role at Kettles, internalised the consequences of the robbery almost immediately. Despite being a victim of a violent crime, he felt responsible for the shop’s devastating losses. In the hours following the raid, White attempted to transfer £14,000 of his personal savings to the company’s owners, an unprecedented gesture that underscored his mounting distress.

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He confided in his girlfriend that a man had accused him of “not putting up enough of a fight” during the robbery—an accusation that weighed heavily on him, according to witness testimony. His emotional state deteriorated rapidly. Not long after attempting the transfer, he stopped responding to calls and messages. His body was later discovered in a wooded area he had visited since childhood, marking a tragic end to a young man described as open-hearted, trusting, and devoted to his work.

The Trials and Convictions

The legal proceedings surrounding the robbery unfolded over several months and involved multiple defendants. In February, Mannix Pedro, 37, of Woking, was found guilty of conspiracy to rob. The case against the remaining defendants continued into the year, with extensive witness testimony and forensic evidence presented at Woolwich Crown Court.

Ultimately, two additional men—Kyle Mehmet, 40, from Rotherham, and Michael Holmes, 34, from Sheffield—were convicted of conspiracy to rob after a separate trial. Both were found to have played significant roles in planning and executing the theft. Their conviction brought the total number of guilty parties to three, each now awaiting sentencing at a future date.

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One of the more unusual turns in the proceedings involved the earlier trial of Junior Kunu, 31, of Mitcham, who was accused of participating in the conspiracy. Kunu was ultimately cleared of the charge. His defence centred on the extraordinary claim that the robbery had been “staged” and that all participants had consented to the act—including Oliver White.

Kunu asserted that White would have “put up more of a fight” if he had believed the robbery was genuine. The jury rejected this argument against the backdrop of evidence that clearly demonstrated White’s terror and distress during the incident, as well as the fatal psychological toll it took on him afterward.

As further details emerged in court, the prosecution emphasized that there was no evidence to support the notion of a staged robbery. Instead, the narrative presented was one of a violent, carefully organised crime that exploited White’s trusting nature and ultimately contributed to his death. The gravity of the case was amplified by the fact that none of the stolen watches have been recovered, leaving the business with severe financial and operational challenges in the robbery’s aftermath.

The Human and Institutional Cost

While the convictions of Mehmet, Holmes, and Pedro provide a measure of legal accountability, the broader human cost of the crime remains starkly evident. Testimony during the trials repeatedly returned to Oliver White’s character: a young man who, according to his colleagues, did not see “the risk or bad in anyone” and approached his job with genuine enthusiasm. Friends and loved ones underscored how deeply he cared about the success of the business and how personally he took his responsibilities.

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That commitment, compounded by the shock and trauma of being physically assaulted during the robbery, formed a devastating combination. His attempt to transfer a substantial portion of his personal savings—an act fueled by guilt rather than obligation—revealed the extent to which he held himself accountable for events far beyond his control. Tragically, the pressure he felt was not alleviated but exacerbated when he was told he had not resisted forcefully enough, despite having been placed in physical danger and overpowered by the perpetrators.

The absence of insurance coverage emerged as a critical element in understanding the scale of the pressures that followed the robbery. Without a policy to buffer the loss, the financial impact fell almost entirely on the business and, indirectly, on its staff. For a manager as conscientious as Oliver White, this created an overwhelming burden. The court heard that he had tried desperately to make amends for losses he had not caused, driven by a sense of loyalty and responsibility that ultimately contributed to his psychological collapse.

The incident also highlights broader concerns regarding workplace safety and risk preparedness for small, high-value retailers. Jewellery and luxury watch shops remain frequent targets of organised crime, and the failure to secure adequate insurance or implement rigorous protection measures can leave both businesses and their employees dangerously exposed. The earlier theft at the same shop raised questions about whether more could have been done to protect staff like Oliver White from future incidents. The implications of that oversight, tragically, extended far beyond financial loss.

As the case concludes, three men stand convicted, and sentencing is expected at a later date. But the legal resolution offers only limited solace for those mourning Oliver White. His death remains a profound reminder of the unseen emotional toll that violent crimes can inflict on victims, especially those who feel deeply responsible for the people and places they serve. In this case, a young man’s dedication, integrity, and earnest desire to do right by his employer intersected with a brutal act of criminality, producing consequences that no court verdict can fully redress.