Co-owner denies thinking £1.4m theft was inside job

Oliver White took his life after the jewellery shop he managed was robbed

The co-owner of a jewellery store where watches worth £1.38m were taken did not believe the theft was an "inside job", a court has heard.

Oliver White, 27, the office manager of 247 Kettles in Richmond, south-west London, took his own life the day after more than 70 luxury watches were stolen from the store on 25 May last year.

Also giving evidence, Mr White's mother, Amy Keane, told Woolwich Crown Court her son was a "really hardworking young man" who "saw the best in most people".

Junior Kunu, 30, south-west London and Mannix Pedro, 37, of Woking, Surrey, both deny conspiring with others to commit the robbery.

Asked by prosecutor Edward Brown KC whether she considered her son to be trusting or wary, Ms Keane replied: "Ollie was the most happy-go-lucky [person]... Everything was a lot of fun [with him].

"He saw the best in most people. He wasn't one to be wary."

Other members of Mr White's family shed tears in the public gallery as Ms Keane gave her evidence.

'Looked shady'

Earlier in the day the court heard 247 Kettles had received a warning from police in February 2024 that it might be at risk of a robbery, and that Connor Thornton and fellow owner Joe Riley were in New York when the robbery took place.

None of the watches stolen in the robbery were insured, despite a theft taking place at the business three years earlier, jurors were told.

Tyrone Smith KC, defending Mr Kunu, said the shop's owners held two meetings with Mr White the day after the robbery.

Answering questions from from behind a screen, Mr Thornton said Mr White was asked why he let people into the shop who "looked shady" and quizzed about why he did not press the alarm button or call the police sooner.

Mr Smith said: "He was accused of being involved, wasn't he?"

Mr Thornton said: "No."

Mr Smith said: "You were at a loss to understand why he acted the way that he did, and the only conclusion you could draw was that this was an inside job, and you told him as much, didn't you?"

"No," the co-owner replied.

Mr Smith told jurors that CCTV of the second meeting, held in the store office, was no longer available and had not been seen by anyone, including the police.

Asked if someone had removed the hard drives from the store's CCTV, Mr Thornton said: "Both boxes were replaced after the incident."

'A little bit in shock'

The store mainly sold "high-end" Rolex models ranging from £3,000 to £70,000 in value, the jury heard.

For security measures, it had CCTV, panic buttons and magnetic-locking doors, as well as a smoke system.

Mr Thornton said he had told Mr White the watches were not insured.

The court heard the co-owner had known Mr White for more than 10 years and he considered him "definitely a good friend".

Mr Thornton said Mr White also knew the procedure in the event of a robbery and added that he trusted the manager.

Mr Brown asked how Mr White seemed at the meeting the day after the robbery.

Mr Thornton replied: "He was still a little bit in shock about the previous day, but other than that nothing too alarming."

Jurors previously heard Mr White was put in a headlock and tied up while the watches were stolen from the store.

The trial continues.