News | Crime I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice . The watch dealer found dead a day after being attacked by robbers “should never have been alone in the office” on the day of the raid, according to his employers.
Oliver White, 27, was placed in a chokehold by an assailant while a second man stole a number of high-value watches at jewellery firm 247 Kettles in Richmond, west London, on Saturday afternoon. He was found dead by police the following day in Shepperton, Surrey, following concerns for his safety. In a statement on social media, 247 Kettles said he “liked to work around the clock and even out of hours to ensure customers were satisfied.
” They added: “He should never have been alone in the office on Saturday and that amount of watches should’ve never been on display. “We have strict security procedures in place to prevent such circumstances. “Unfortunately in these tragic events such procedures were not followed through no fault of anyone’s.
Panic buttons, alarms, smoke screens and security doors are in place.” The firm added that the suspects in the robbery had posed as “potential clients across a three-day period waiting for a vulnerability and the correct time to strike. “Unfortunately on Saturday the attempt succeeded in a violent robbery which Oliver was the victim of.
” In a statement, his parents spoke of their pain over the loss of a “beautiful, funny, loyal boy”.
