Mark Toth
(Picture: Met Police)A man has been jailed for threatening a woman with an axe before stealing her Rolex in Chelsea.
Mark Toth, 37, from Shrewsbury Street, Kensington, was sentenced to ten years in prison for conspiracy to commit robbery and remaining unlawfully at large.
The victim, a woman in her 50s, was threatened by two men on a moped. An axe was held against her neck during the incident, and she was put in a headlock and forced to the ground.
Toth then attempted to strangle the victim on the pavement before grabbing her £25,000 Daytona model Rolex watch as bystanders watched in horror.
She did not suffer serious injuries and her watch has been recovered.
Toth is the final offender to be sentenced for this robbery.
He fled to Spain after hearing about the arrests of his two male co-offenders who were jailed in May 2020 but he was later arrested by police after returning to England for a funeral on February 25.
He was spotted by officers in photos posted on social media and later found in a hotel room on Hanger Lane, Ealing.
On arrest, Toth screamed “I’m unarmed” and when police entered the hotel room with a swipe key, with assistance from the staff, he unsuccessfully attempted to break his phone in half before being put in handcuffs.
Detective Constable Peta Lundgren, who led the investigation, said: “This man has at last been jailed for this terrifying robbery.
“The three suspects were quickly identified and two of them were arrested soon after the attack. However, Toth although identified, evaded police by going on the run and fleeing the country following the news of their arrests.
"This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone concerned in serious criminality, we will investigate and will use every tool to find you and bring you to justice.
“We would again like to thank the victim for her cooperation during the investigation, and acknowledge her courage and bravery.”
