A “worse for wear” student has been attacked by a “hugger mugger” who squeezed his throat until he passed out before stealing his $9,000 Rolex.
The 24-year-old man had been out in central London on May 10 when the attacker began speaking with him about martial arts and acting out restraint moves.
When the student turned around in front of him, the Algerian suspect put his arm around the man’s throat and squeezed.
As the victim fell to his knees, the mugger ripped the expensive watch off the man’s wrist and fled.
Police have released CCTV footage of the troubling incident in a bid to track down the “hugger mugger.”
“The suspect targeted his victim carefully, choosing someone who was a bit the worse for wear after a night out, alone and smartly dressed,” Investigating officer Detective constable Michael Heaney said, according to The Guardian.
“The method he uses is not something we have seen before in this area and is a concern.
“Had the suspect applied more pressure the victim could have been far more seriously injured.”
This article originally appeared on News.com.au.