Harry Mount

Conspicuous luxury looks cheap

Showing off your wealth is tacky

  • From Spectator Life
(iStock)

Street robbery has become an epidemic. Horrible thugs are stealing luxury watches and jewellery in broad daylight. The number of luxury watches stolen almost doubled in England and Wales between 2015 and 2022 – with 25,802 stolen in 2022. The problem is particularly bad in London, where the Metropolitan Police have set up a special unit to tackle the problem.

Even the greediest thief isn’t about to strip your suit off your back

It’s an unforgivable crime. Lock the muggers up and throw away the key. Of course people should be free to walk the streets, decked in gold and silver. Oh for the legendary days of medieval England when you could supposedly leave a bag of coins nailed to a tree for a year and no one would steal it. 

That’s no longer the case, if indeed it ever was. In the Daily Mail last week, an anonymous writer movingly revealed how she’s so scared of being attacked on the streets of London that she refuses to carry her £1,500 Chanel handbag, wear her Rolex watch or even put her engagement ring on, for fear of muggers.

Written by
Harry Mount

Harry Mount is editor of The Oldie and author of How England Made the English (Penguin) and Et Tu, Brute? The Best Latin Lines Ever (Bloomsbury)

Topics in this article

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in