Pub thief jailed after Fabergé whiskey set stolen in Soho
Police continue to search for a jewelled Fabergé egg linked to one of the world’s rarest Irish whiskey releases after a Soho handbag theft. The man responsible for the crime has now been jailed for more than two years.
A man has been jailed after stealing a handbag containing a Fabergé egg and watch tied to a rare Irish whiskey collection valued at up to £2.2 million.
Enzo Conticello, 29, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to theft and three counts of fraud by false representation, according to the BBC.
The theft took place outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho on 7 November 2024. Rosie Dawson had placed her handbag between her legs while standing outside the venue when Conticello took it.
CCTV footage showed the defendant inside the pub attempting to steal another customer’s bag before moving outside, where he removed Dawson’s handbag.
The bag contained a Fabergé egg and watch set belonging to Dawson’s employer, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., alongside a laptop and credit cards. Dawson had taken the items to a work event earlier that evening.
Conticello was linked to the crime after attempting to use the stolen bank cards in a nearby shop within minutes of the theft. The court heard he later handed over the bag in exchange for drugs.
He was eventually connected to the incident after being arrested for separate theft offences in Belfast in November 2025.
Sentencing him, Recorder Kate Livesey said the opportunistic theft caused “inconvenience and stress” to Dawson and her company.
“Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen, and the incredible stress this incident has caused her,” she told the court.
Rare Fabergé egg linked to whiskey release
The missing egg forms part of The Emerald Isle Collection created by The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. in partnership with Fabergé, as previously reported by the drinks business.
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Prosecutor Julian Winship told the court that only seven examples of the collection exist.
The egg is made from 18-carat yellow gold and took more than 100 hours to create. It is set with 104 diamonds and contains an uncut emerald sourced from Zambia.
The accompanying watch, inspired by one of the Seven Wonders of Ireland, weighs 22 carats and sits in a rose gold case.
Each Emerald Isle Collection case contains two bottles of 30-year-old Irish whiskey. The spirit is a triple-distilled single malt matured in 200-litre first-fill American oak Bourbon casks, then finished in a 40-litre Pedro Ximénez Sherry barrel.
Each presentation case also includes a humidor containing two Cohiba Siglo VI Grand Reserve cigars, a gold-plated cigar cutter, a gold-plated water pipette, obsidian whiskey stones, a hip flask filled with Emerald Isle whiskey and a carafe containing Irish spring water from the same region where the whiskey was produced.
Limited release with charitable link
The Emerald Isle Collection was conceived as a limited series of seven cases. A press release at the time reported that the first case was secured by Fabergé collectors James and Korrine Whipkey, together with a second group of investors.
Proceeds from the first release were directed to the Correa Family Foundation, which provides financial support and experiences for children battling cancer and their families.
Jay Bradley, founder of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., said at the time: “Collaborating with Fabergé has been a tremendous experience and together we have created an extraordinary bespoke set that truly celebrates Ireland, its craftsmanship and unique heritage”.
Despite the sentencing, police confirmed the Fabergé egg and watch have not been recovered.
Detective Constable Arben Morina, who is leading the investigation, said: “Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone else’s possessions, and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed.”
“Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing and we’d urge anyone with information to contact us.”
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