Two Men Jailed for Stealing Luggage from Abu Dhabi Royal Family Members at London Station

Abdel Aitkebir, 35, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison on Friday for his role in the theft of three suitcases from members of the Abu Dhabi royal family at a London station. Medhi Fatih, 41, received two years and four months for the same offence. The victims were Roda Al Nahyan, her mother Shamsa, and Najla Al Qubaisi.

They had arrived in London on the Eurostar in October when the suitcases were taken. Two of the cases contained more than £600,000 worth of jewellery. Aitkebir and Fatih entered Britain illegally in July 2025.

CCTV footage showed the pair loitering outside the station on October 16. A third man distracted the driver of a private car while Aitkebir and Fatih took the luggage before it could be loaded into the boot. Aitkebir told the court he removed gold items from one suitcase and sold them to a market trader in south London for £10,000.

He said he showed jewellery to the buyer, stated he was selling the items, and accepted the offer because he had no money for food and nowhere to sleep. He added that he had worked occasionally as a builder for cash because he had no legal right to live in Britain and described the theft as opportunistic. Judge Benedict Kelleher rejected the claim that the theft was unplanned.

He said the offence involved coordination of seven men and the identification of passengers arriving on an international train who had a waiting chauffeur. The judge stated it was clear from the CCTV that the men had noticed the vehicle and positioned themselves to steal when the family arrived, and that the victims were targeted because of their apparent wealth.

Fatih had photographs of the suitcases' contents, including gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, on his phone.