Kheirddine Fatmi, a 35-year-old Algerian national, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for a series of crimes in London. These offenses included a high-value robbery at a John Lewis store and multiple assaults on employees at a Co-op outlet.
The £12,800 Mulberry Heist at John Lewis
On October 30, Kheirddine Fatmi and four other masked accomplices targeted a John Lewis store in London's West End. According to the report, the group stole a keychain and 13 Mulberry handbags with a combined total value of £12,800. During the getaway, CCTV footage captured one of the men pushing past a security guard, while Fatmi himself shoved the guard and spat on his bare arm.
The robbery left at least one staff member visibly shaken, as the gang fled the scene. While his accomplices managed to escape, Fatmi was not as quick and was apprehended shortly after the theft. This incident highlights a brazen approach to retail crime in high-traffic shopping districts, where luxury goods are targeted for quick resale.
A Pattern of Violence at the Baker Street Co-op
Beyond the luxury heist, the court heard about a disturbing series of encounters at a Co-op store located on Baker Street. On April 22, 2025, Kheirddine Fatmi spat in the face of a store worker. This was followed six days later by an incident where Fatmi returned to the same establishment to throw a bag of food at another employee.
The report says that the harassment continued on April 30, 2025, when Fatmi again abused and spat at a member of staff. The cycle of aggression culminated on August 3, when Fatmi returned to the Baker Street Co-op to steal a bottle of alcohol. As a result of these repeated offenses, the court has banned Fatmi from entering that specific Co-op location for the next five years.
The Legal Limbo of an Algerian Construction Worker
During the proceedings at Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed that Kheirddine Fatmi is a construction worker currently seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. His defense argued that he was drawn into criminal activity because he is legally barred from working while his asylum application is pending, leaving him without a legitimate source of income.
Mr Recorder Jas Jandu, the presiding judge, noted that Fatmi appeared to be in the country illegally and had resorted to stealing to survive. This case reflects a broader, recurring tension in the UK's immigration system, where the gap between arriving as an asylum seeker and receivinng the right to work can create pockets of extreme financial desperation.
The Mystery of the 13 Lost Teeth and Potential Deportation
One of the more harrowing details presented in court was that Kheirddine Fatmi lost 13 teeth during a separate violent assault, for which he is now awaiting dental treatment while incarcerated. This separate incident remains largely unexplained in the available reporting, leaving questions about the nature of the viiolence he has encountered.
Furthermore, while Fatmi has a young son in Algeria, the court heard that he may now face deportation following his conviction for robbery, theft, and three counts of assault. A significant gap in the reporting is the status of the four other masked men involved in the John Lewis robbery; it remains unclear if the police have identified or charged the other participants in the £12,800 theft.
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