Race Across the World Champion Alfie Watts Hit by Car Break-In Before School Mental Health Tour

Race Across the World Star Targeted by Thieves Before Schools Tour

BBC Race Across the World champion Alfie Watts has opened up about his "enormous frustration" after falling victim to a brazen car break-in that saw his laptop stolen just the night before a series of school talks across Wales.

The 22-year-old had only stepped away from his parked vehicle for roughly 20 minutes on Tuesday evening when an opportunist thief smashed a window and snatched his laptop bag from beneath the driver's seat on Howard Place in Cardiff.

What Was Stolen — and What Was at Stake

The stolen device contained carefully prepared presentation materials that Watts uses during his talks with young people, covering themes of positivity, mental resilience, and emotional wellbeing. Fortunately, all content had been backed up online, meaning three scheduled appearances on Wednesday — including one at Mount Stuart Primary School in Cardiff Bay — went ahead without disruption.

"I honestly reckon someone is just like 50-50 — either there's something in there for me to take or there isn't," Watts told his audience, reflecting on the opportunistic nature of the theft.

A String of Thefts in Just Two Months

For Watts, this incident was far from an isolated setback. He described the car break-in as "a low point" in what has been a frustrating run of criminal incidents.

• Two months ago, his original laptop was stolen during a bag snatch in Santiago, Chile.
• Last week, a thief on an electric bike snatched his mobile phone while he was using it to navigate through London.
• Now, his replacement laptop has been taken from his parked car in Cardiff.

"I seem to be wanting to set a world record for the amount of capital cities visited and stuff stolen," he quipped. "I didn't have any theft issues on the race."

Police Response

South Wales Police confirmed they had received Watts' report but stated that no suspects had been identified. Officers indicated they would review available CCTV footage from the area. A force spokesperson acknowledged that car crime leaves victims feeling "upset, costly, and inconvenienced," and issued a warning that opportunistic thieves are known to act swiftly to smash and grab belongings left inside vehicles.

"The police have told me there's not much they can do, but they will check the on-site CCTV," Watts shared with his 320,000 Instagram followers, where he documented the ordeal in his characteristically open manner.

Who Is Alfie Watts?

Watts, originally from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, shot to public attention after winning Series 4 of the BBC's Race Across the World, completing a gruelling journey of over 9,300 miles (15,000km) across eastern Asia alongside his friend Owen Wood.

Since his television victory, he has channelled his platform into meaningful causes. Over the past year, he spent 192 days travelling the globe while documenting his journey on social media. More recently, he completed a remarkable tuk-tuk drive from London to Norway, raising an impressive £50,000 for Young Minds, a leading mental health charity dedicated to supporting young people.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Watts is currently midway through a tour of 35 schools across the United Kingdom, sharing his personal story to "inspire a message of not giving up, being kind, and believing in yourself." His talks resonate particularly with young audiences navigating their own emotional challenges.

Despite the repeated setbacks, Watts remained characteristically grounded: "I know it's not an indictment of the people of Wales, and particularly not the city of Cardiff."

He added, "As you know, I'm not one to shy away from documenting the hard times as well as the good times — and this one's a low point, sadly."