A teenager has been sentenced for stealing luxury watches worth £195,000 from shops in Chelmsford and other locations across the UK
Chelmsford: So, there’s this teen, right? He pulled off a wild heist, making off with a staggering £195,000 worth of Rolex watches and other fancy brands. This all went down in Essex and a few other spots in the UK last summer. Patrick McDonagh, now 18, got three years in a young offenders institution for his sneaky ways.
He didn’t act alone, though. McDonagh teamed up with another guy, who’s still a mystery. They hit up three stores in July and August, including a Goldsmiths in Chelmsford. The plan? McDonagh would show interest in a watch, get the staff to take it out, and then his buddy would create a distraction. That’s when he’d make his getaway with the goods.
In total, they swiped watches and jewelry worth £195,450 from Chelmsford, Chichester, and Northampton. The police eventually caught up with McDonagh thanks to some DNA they found at the crime scenes.
During the court hearing, the prosecutor shared how McDonagh pulled off the Chelmsford job. He walked into Goldsmiths, asked to see some Rolexes, and when the staff took one out, his accomplice barged in, causing chaos. In just 15 seconds, McDonagh was out the door with a £37,100 watch on his wrist.
Things got even crazier when his partner in crime threatened the staff, saying he’d kill them if they tried to follow. Another time, in Northampton, McDonagh pretended to be interested in a watch, and when it was out of the cabinet, his accomplice blocked the door and claimed he had a knife. McDonagh just strolled out with a £30,000 watch.
In a third incident in Chichester, they managed to grab multiple watches worth £119,400 when the staff were distracted. McDonagh’s lawyer said he felt bad about what he did and was forced into it to pay off a debt related to cannabis.
The judge wasn’t having any of it, though. He pointed out McDonagh’s history of shoplifting and how he had planned these high-stakes thefts. In the end, the judge sentenced him to three years in a young offenders’ institution for his “eye-watering” crime spree.
