Police have launched a manhunt after Jennifer Abbot, a 69-year-old woman, was found murdered in her Camden home in London. Officers responding to the scene at 6pm on Friday discovered that Ms Abbot, also known professionally as Sarah Steinberg, had been stabbed to death. A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as sharp force trauma. Authorities believe the motive for the killing could be linked to the disappearance of a distinctive diamond-encrusted Rolex watch from her property. Despite ongoing investigations, no arrests have yet been made.

Ms Abbot was a well-known figure in her community, recognized for her past career in the creative industries and her routine walks with her Corgi dog in the neighbourhood. She was last seen on the morning of Tuesday, 10 June 2025, three days before her body was discovered. Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, leading the inquiry in Camden, urged anyone who was in the area that Friday evening or who witnessed anything unusual near Mornington Place to come forward. He emphasised that even seemingly minor information could be critical in solving the case and identified as vital in securing justice for Ms Abbot.

The targeting of high-value luxury watches in violent crimes is a growing concern across London and the UK. Similar incidents highlight a disturbing trend where offenders specifically seek out expensive timepieces, often using brutal tactics. In Hertfordshire, two men received life sentences after murdering Giuseppina Martorana during a robbery that centred on stealing her £13,000 Rolex. They had followed her from Harrods before the fatal attack, demonstrating how criminals plan these crimes to target affluent victims with high-value jewellery.

London gangs have been reported to use ‘female spotters’ to identify potential victims of watch theft, frequently operating in bars and nightlife hotspots in wealthy districts. These spotters engage with well-dressed individuals to locate expensive watches, subsequently signalling gang members to carry out armed robberies with knives or machetes. This criminal method has contributed to a surge in luxury watch thefts nationwide, with losses exceeding £50 million in recent years.

Criminal networks dubbed "Rolex Rippers" have also been linked to exploiting social media to identify and track individuals wearing costly watches, including celebrities. These gangs carry out violent street robberies to supply the black market with high-end timepieces, underscoring the heightened dangers associated with displaying luxury items in public.

Further illustrating the scope of the problem, a woman in Scotland was assaulted and had her £26,000 Rolex stolen while simply walking her dog, indicating such crimes are not limited to London alone. Police have at times resorted to undercover operations to catch perpetrators involved in this lucrative and violent trade.

The murder of Jennifer Abbot and the suspected theft of her diamond-encrusted Rolex fits into this wider national pattern of violence and organised crime centred around luxury watches. With no arrests made so far, the police’s appeal for witnesses is crucial for progressing the investigation and preventing further harm in the community.

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Source: Noah Wire Services