I was contacted by RolexForums username
Ls702
https://www.rolexforums.com/member.php?u=273265
who called himself Jayden.
Jayden told me that his brother in law “Jason” was looking to buy a Day Date platinum 40, and made a reasonable offer for the watch. I asked for Jason’s cell phone number, which he gave as an area code 707 number.
Jason and Jayden are obviously the same person.
Jayden used a gmail address,
Ls702raiders@gmail.com
Jason a protonmail address,
jprimo@protonmail.com
Jason, who is African American, about 5’10 – 6’0” in height, medium build, shoulder length dreadlocks,
and I exchanged a number of texts and had several phone conversations over the course of the next few days. Jason claimed that he lived in northern California, came from Lake County, and was in the cannabis industry, as a former grower and current middle man between growers and dispensaries.
Jason provided me via text before I agreed to meet him, with his ID but the police and I have reason to believe that it was a fake ID (fake name Jason Bergman) or possibly not his own ID, but this is still being investigated. The picture on the ID was not of Jason, BUT…good video was taken of Jason and his vehicle during this robbery, and facial recognition may be used to track him down.
During the course of the conversations I received certain key details about Jason, which I will keep private for now, but
if you are contacted or have been contacted by anyone fitting this description please PM me immediately because he may have targeted other victims.
Jason led me to believe that he was flying in from northern California that morning, and was taking an Uber from the airport to a jewelry store that he picked for authentication of the watch.
I arrived at the jewelry store some ten minutes before Jason. When Jason arrived, he reeked of marijuana and was dressed shabbily, in tan pants and a sort of down vest. As I was digesting this, and he realized that I was suspicious of him, he grabbed the case that contained my watch and ran out of the jewelry store. Unfortunately, this jewelry store failed to lock the door when we customers were inside, although later in the day, when another customer arrived, they did lock the door for that customer.
I chased Jason and actually caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder. He punched my arm away to break the grip I had on him, and ran into a parked beige SUV around the corner with California plates, and drove off. I probably could have caught him, and I am an athletic person and was angry enough to start pounding on him, but I had promised my wife before I started selling any watches in person that if it ever got to a situation where someone tried to get my watch, that I would just give it up and not struggle. This promise to my wife was in the back of my mind as I was chasing Jason.
When I first started chasing Jason, another African American male outside the store seemed to be blocking my way and shoving his cell phone in my face, saying, “Here’s my phone if you need to call the police.” I thought that he was in on the whole thing, and there to delay me, so I just ignored him. However, that guy stayed behind and gave his ID and name to the police, so I don’t think he was involved with the robbery, although the police are still investigating.
Again, if any of the above:
African American
Claiming to be in the cannabis industry
Claiming to be from Northern California
Very knowledgeable about the lack of availability of Rolexes from the AD
Knows that AD will not authenticate Rolexes
Seemed to know that a Rolex that is polished (mine was not) is worth more than one that has never been polished
Smooth talker talking about how he owns a stainless Daytona, and a couple of Audemars
Description again, African American, medium build 5’10” – 6’0”, shoulder length dreadlocks,
If anyone matching any of the above particulars has contacted or does contact you regarding sale or purchase of a watch, please PM me immediately as this is an active robbery investigation with the police.
I’ve hired a private investigator and a reward is being posted along with Jason’s pictures from the jewelry store video. If Jason wants to have the watch returned to the jewelry store, I will drop charges. Even in California, robbery is a serious crime. I was injured chasing him my ankle got twisted leaping over two railings to catch up to him and I can't walk very well today.
Robbed of Rolex Day Date 40 platinum 228206 in Southern California