Jewellery shop robbery suspect said ‘every man loves a watch’

Mr Pedro, who did not enter the shop during the robbery, was “closely involved” in the planning and execution of the incident, including the use of a stolen Audi as one of two getaway cars, the court heard.

In a police interview he told officers he worked “in cars and clothing” and had never bought or sold watches, adding a Rolex in his home was fake.

“I think every man loves a watch – cars, watches and women,” he said in the transcript of his police interview read to the court.

Data extracted by detectives from one of Mr Pedro’s phones showed searches for “Rolex watch dial” were made the day before his arrest.

The court heard images matching Kettles 247’s master stocklist were also sent by phone numbers belonging to Mr Pedro.

None of the watches have been recovered.

Earlier in the trial, the prosecution barrister Edward Brown KC told jurors that two further suspects fled abroad soon after the robbery and have not yet been arrested.

After the judge lifted reporting restrictions, these men can be named as Kyle Bowrage and Michael Ashman.