Dramatic CCTV: Student passes out as ‘hugger mugger’ grabs £5,000 watch

A student was left unconscious in Central London when a man hugged him to steal his £5,000 Rolex watch from his wrist.

This dramatic CCTV footage shows the moment a man approached the victim, put his arms around his throat and squeezed so tight he passed out.

The 24-year-old fell to the ground and lost consciousness for a few moments before realising what happened.

Police say the student, who was on a night out near Regents Street, got chatting to the man who asked him for a cigarette at around 3:40 am. The pair carried on walking and began talking about martial arts when the hugger mugger attacked the student, ripping off the expensive watch. The Metropolitan Police says this kind of attack is not something it’s seen before in the area and is concerned the victim could have been far more seriously injured.

Difficult words: unconscious (not able to see, move or feel), martial art (sport like judo or karate), mugger (somebody who attacks someone and robs them in a public place).