Criminal gang convicted in Helsinki for planning luxury watch store robbery after violent heist in Riga

A group of Serbian men has been convicted in Helsinki for preparing a violent robbery targeting a luxury watch store, following a similar heist they carried out in Riga, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. The Helsinki District Court ruled that the planned crime would have endangered lives, while the men now also face charges for the earlier robbery in Latvia.

The three men, aged 23, 25, and 27, were arrested in their rented apartment on Lapinlahdenkatu, Helsinki, on October 7, 2025, after police found axes, a splitting maul, pepper spray, a balaclava, a wig, a licensed gas pistol, and black clothing—equipment matching that used in the Riga robbery five months prior. Surveillance footage from the Latvian heist served as key evidence in the Finnish trial.

In April 2025, the same group allegedly stormed a watch store in Riga’s Old Town in broad daylight, fleeing with 82 timepieces worth a total of €669,322. Though Latvian police pursued them, the suspects escaped. International cooperation later led to their capture in Helsinki, where they were preparing a near-identical robbery on Aleksanterinkatu. Authorities confirmed the men had scouted the Finnish store multiple times before their arrest.

The Helsinki District Court sentenced each to one year and four months in suspended prison for aggravated robbery preparation—a charge that, if executed, would have met the criteria for aggravated robbery due to the risk posed to customers and staff. The men deny the charges and have appealed.

Latvia has since extradited the trio to face trial for the Riga heist, with indictments expected this spring. A fourth suspect remains at large.