Celine Assimon was on her way home after a trip to Paris when her luggage was stolen from her by Younis Adam (Picture: Instagram)
The boss of diamond giant De Beers chased a thief who stole luggage worth up to £18,000 from her cab outside London’s Eurostar terminal into the clutches of the police, a court heard.
Celine Assimon had put her luggage, including a suitcase and a Luis Vuitton handbag, in the car boot after she arrived at St Pancras from Paris at 11pm on Sunday (January 19).
Younis Adam, 26, was arrested by police 20 minutes after the crime and pleaded guilty to theft at a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates on Monday.
He was jailed for nine months by magistrates at the same court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Edward Aydin told the court that Ms Assimon, chief executive of the jewellery business at De Beers the world’s leading diamond company, had given chase after she realised someone was behind the cab grabbing her luggage.
She reacted after hearing a ‘beep’ inside the cab signifying the boot was open.
However, the suspect managed to escape briefly only to be apprehended by police after the alarm was raised by a bus driver.
Celine is the chief executive of the jewellery business at De Beers – the world’s leading diamond company (Picture: Instagram)
Younis Adam, 26, was jailed for nine months at Highbury Magistrates Court (Picture: CPS)
The court heard Celine’s luggage was worth nearly £18,000 (Picture: Instagram)
Among the items in the designer luggage plundered from the boot were Chanel trainersand a Louis Vuitton jacket and trousers.
The value of all the items was estimated at between £17,000 and £18,000, the court heard. One Louis Vuitton bag has been recovered but other luggage is still missing.
The prosecutor told the court there had been a marked increase in opportunities thieves circling stations and in particular St Pancras, where Eurostar services operate.
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He said: ‘Theft of luggage from train stations and Eurostar terminal have been on the increase.
‘People going and returning from abroad losing their luggage is a traumatic loss.
‘It has become a prevalent crime by opportunistic gangs preying on innocent people.
Celine’s attacker was jailed for nine months (Picture: Instagram)
‘In the past 4 months several luggage theft cases have had those responsible jailed by the courts.’
The court heard that two suspected accomplices, who had allegedly been carrying out reconnaissance on potential victims with Adam, had not been found.
Ms Assimon had spotted a group of three men acting suspiciously and eyeing the car, magistrates were told.
Deputy District Judge Robert Brown jailed Adam, of no fixed abode and who spoke through an Arabic interpreter, to nine months imprisonment with the sentence influenced by the high value of the items stolen.
The haul also included cashmere tops from intimissimi and N Peal, black pyjamas from Cosabella and a make up bag. Ms Assimon has been chief executive of De Beers, the largest diamond firm in the world, which has its headquarters in the city of London, since 2020.
The Anglo-South African company was founded by Cecil Rhodes 137 years ago.
The luxury jewellery branch of the business was launched in London 23 years ago.
She had previously worked as worldwide head of jewellery and watchmaking at Louis Vuitton before moving to luxury watch brand Piaget.
Adam was also ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge and costs of £85 by the court.
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