Saudi national stabbed during apparent robbery attempt in Berkeley Square
A Saudi national in his 40s was stabbed in an apparent attempted robbery in Berkeley Square, an upmarket Mayfair square, on the evening of 3 September. The Metropolitan Police arrested a 58-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon and attempted robbery, and both the victim and suspect were taken to hospital. Police described the incident as isolated with no ongoing risk to the wider public, though it highlights growing concern over robberies in the area, which the Mail previously reported has become one of London's worst hotspots for street crime.
Officers were called to the scene at 21:38 on Thursday and found the victim with stab wounds, which have been assessed as non-life-threatening; he remains in hospital, as does the arrested man, who is being treated for minor injuries. The Saudi Embassy in London said it is coordinating with British authorities and monitoring the victim's condition, while urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid carrying valuables in public. Investigations are ongoing, and the Met has asked anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference 7446/03SEP.
- Saudi man in his 40s stabbed in Mayfair's Berkeley Square robbery attempt
- 58-year-old man arrested on suspicion of GBH and attempted robbery
- Police call it isolated; Saudi Embassy urges caution and awaits full probe
New here? Start with this
Saudi nationals are frequent visitors to and residents of London, with many owning or renting property in Mayfair, one of the city's wealthiest districts. Berkeley Square itself is a well-known Mayfair landmark surrounded by luxury homes, offices and hotels, making the area a magnet for high-value targets, which some reports suggest has fuelled a rise in street robberies there.
The stabbing happened when a man was reportedly targeted in an attempted robbery, and a suspect was arrested nearby shortly afterwards. The Metropolitan Police, London's main police force, is leading the investigation, while the Saudi Embassy is acting as a point of contact for the victim and liaising with British authorities, as embassies typically do when one of their citizens is caught up in a serious incident abroad.
The case matters because it touches on wider concerns about street crime and robbery in affluent parts of central London, an issue that has drawn public and media attention beyond this single incident. It also illustrates how diplomatic missions become involved when foreign nationals are victims of crime in the UK, even though police stress this was an isolated event rather than part of a broader pattern of danger to the public.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Saudi national in his 40s is stabbed on Mayfair’s Berkeley Square as man, 58, is arrested over ‘attempted robbery’”.