Two men have been found guilty of plotting a £1.38 million jewellery shop robbery which led its manager, a court heard, to take his own life.
Oliver White, 27, who was tied up and put in a headlock during the raid, took his own life the next day as a direct result of the incident, a court was told.
Kyle Mehmet, 40, of Rotherham, and Michael Holmes, 34, of Sheffield, were convicted of conspiracy to rob after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
Mannix Pedro, 37, of Woking, was found guilty of the same offence in February.
More than 70 high-value watches were taken from the 247 Kettles shop in Richmond, south-west London, on May 25, 2024.
In a state of distress, Mr White tried to transfer £14,000 in savings to his bosses after the theft, prosecutors said.
Earlier this year, a trial heard he did not see “the risk or bad in anyone” and “showed real enthusiasm for his work at Kettles”.
But Mr White told his girlfriend he had been accused by a man “of not putting up enough of a fight”.
Not long after transferring the cash, he went missing and stopped replying to texts or calls.
His body was found by a friend in a wooded area he visited as a child.
None of the stolen watches has been recovered and the shop had no insurance, despite being the target of a theft three years earlier.
Earlier this year, Junior Kunu, 31, of Mitcham, south-west London, was cleared of conspiracy to rob the shop.
Kunu said the robbery was “staged” and everyone involved consented – including Mr White, whom he claimed would have “put up more of a fight” if he had thought the robbery was real.
Mehmet, Holmes and Pedro will be sentenced at a later date.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
