Tragedy -HELP!

[vesnyder]

I am curious who knew you have a significant collection and was the safe obvious? It sounds like they knew what they were looking for. My collection is seriously under the radar with only a few people aware of my collection - and two of them are my wife and AD. I have a fairly modest house - with few people thinking I would have a decent watch collection - and I have the safe fairly well hidden. The Sentry safe I have would be easy to break into - and I do have my more valuable watches insured.

[jedione65]

Originally Posted by lamadoo

I've researched this topic, even listened to actual professional thieves.

Have a dummy safe installed where it can be seen but not made too obvious...like under your work desk. Heavy but not too heavy so that it can be carried. Most thieves will think they got their prize once they ripped it and jet off but your real valuables are stored in your floor mount out of sight. This is adding layers and diversion to your security.

Also CCTV cameras don't do much but inform the thieves that you have expensive valuables in your house. All good robbers know this and will wear a mask/covid mask and start targeting your valuables. Houses with CCTV is like a sign for professionals "HEY YOU RICH..ROLEXROLEXROLEX". Your cameras needs to be good enough to set off a loud alarm to scare them and notify your phone so that you can intervene and you must be fast. Also professional thieves won't steal at night...no no. They will enter your house when your working a 9am-5pm job.

One of my coworkers today just told me about having a decoy safe. Sad world we live in if we have to take such extreme measures to protect our valuables.
This happened after 5pm and 7 pm so they must have been watching.

I need to post the rest of the non Rolex watches serial #s also. Still devastate. An LAPD detective is investigating.

[jedione65]

Originally Posted by vesnyder

I am curious who knew you have a significant collection and was the safe obvious? It sounds like they knew what they were looking for. My collection is seriously under the radar with only a few people aware of my collection - and two of them are my wife and AD. I have a fairly modest house - with few people thinking I would have a decent watch collection - and I have the safe fairly well hidden. The Sentry safe I have would be easy to break into - and I do have my more valuable watches insured.

We keep to ourselves and it’s just me and my wife. Aside from my father I don’t think anyone else really knew I had a watch collection. I just never would have thought this would happened in my neighborhood and lived in our house for many years. The type of neighborhood that is seldom frequented by anyone who doesn’t live there.

[steveclr]

Originally Posted by jedione65

We keep to ourselves and it’s just me and my wife. Aside from my father I don’t think anyone else really knew I had a watch collection. I just never would have thought this would happened in my neighborhood and lived in our house for many years. The type of neighborhood that is seldom frequented by anyone who doesn’t live there.

This answers my main question, i.e. how many people knew of your collection. I suspected loose lips or a social media slip-up. Very strange. I hope that we get answers and you get your watches back. So sorry to hear about this. I feel for you both. Posting the serial numbers (at least here) was the way to go.

[alphadweller]

That's terrible, I feel really sorry for you and your wife, OP. What a nightmare. I wish the watches can be recovered by the police and the service center network. Male sure to report every single piece with its serial number. Glad you're insured, at least.

[jedione65]

full list of all watches stolen, again if anyone has any information or any of these somehow turn up please kindly let me know. The Rolex watches are being submitted as previously posted to Rolex HQ in NY. I was able to get the form emailed to me.

Rolex GMT Master 1675 1967 mini GMT hand serial # 1627867
Rolex Submariner 1978 5513 Maxi Mk1 Serial# 5276671
Rolex Daytona black dial 2015 116520 Serial # 632931T5
Rolex Datejust silver dial 1999 16234 Serial # T659629
Rolex 18238 Day Date Serial # S536387
Rolex 116710BLNR Serial # P742V675
Vacheron Constatin Oversease 5500v chronograph blue dial 2019 Serial 1431000
Tudor Ranger 39 mm Serial # 79950-0002
Girard Perregaux Laureato black ceramic 42 mm Serial CEN1008
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14790ST white dial Serial No10459-F04918
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ladies yellow gold 8638BA serial # B27969-192668-0442
Omega Railmaster serial # 89742731
Omega Speedmaster serial # 87782121
Breitling Navitimer 41 mm B01 chronograph Swiss Air one of 700, serial # 3450169

[dukie748]

Originally Posted by 4reRlxGuy

Within our car group in Socal almost every month somebody gets burglarized for jewelry and cash.

I'm thinking thieves are following cars home? They're assuming expensive car so the must have nicer things at home.

Increasingly common in Europe but slightly different - you go to a nice restaurant wearing your high-end watch, it gets spotted and someone gets alerted, you leave the restaurant and drive home without realizing you are being followed and they hit you outside the house - less risky than downtown / high traffic / high camera areas - or they just follow you home and burgle the property later.

[INC]

Originally Posted by dukie748

Increasingly common in Europe but slightly different - you go to a nice restaurant wearing your high-end watch

Where is this common in Europe?

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by jedione65

full list of all watches stolen, again if anyone has any information or any of these somehow turn up please kindly let me know. The Rolex watches are being submitted as previously posted to Rolex HQ in NY. I was able to get the form emailed to me.

Rolex GMT Master 1675 1967 mini GMT hand serial # 1627867
Rolex Submariner 1978 5513 Maxi Mk1 Serial# 5276671
Rolex Daytona black dial 2015 116520 Serial # 632931T5
Rolex Datejust silver dial 1999 16234 Serial # T659629
Rolex 18238 Day Date Serial # S536387
Rolex 116710BLNR Serial # P742V675
Vacheron Constatin Oversease 5500v chronograph blue dial 2019 Serial 1431000
Tudor Ranger 39 mm Serial # 79950-0002
Girard Perregaux Laureato black ceramic 42 mm Serial CEN1008
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14790ST white dial Serial No10459-F04918
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ladies yellow gold 8638BA serial # B27969-192668-0442
Omega Railmaster serial # 89742731
Omega Speedmaster serial # 87782121
Breitling Navitimer 41 mm B01 chronograph Swiss Air one of 700, serial # 3450169

Sorry to hear OP


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[Joearch]

Might be worth checking some of the pawn shops around LA. Sorry to hear of the incident. I also live in LA and have concerns about home invasion. .

[Tortoise99]

Really sorry to hear this. Might be worth registering the serial numbers with digital watch vault, it’s free I believe.

Maybe post photos and serial numbers on as many websites as you can to make the watches too hot to handle

[jedione65]

Originally Posted by Tortoise99

Really sorry to hear this. Might be worth registering the serial numbers with digital watch vault, it’s free I believe.

Maybe post photos and serial numbers on as many websites as you can to make the watches too hot to handle

I did above and they were sent to Rolex and a jewelers association database as well as sent a list to a reputable dealer here. The watches were stolen without any box papers or warranties and have missing bracelet links sized for small wrists. I want to make them as difficult to sell/buy as possible.

[Bd50]

Wow that’s terrible! Sadly, anywhere in the states is open to home burglaries, even in gated communities.

No one should live without basic security cameras and a simple home alarm, it helps in 95% of cases and often is a deterrent when scumbags are casing a neighborhood.

Also, check with your homeowner insurance! Maybe they can still cover this loss if you have photos, videos and/or receipts for the stolen items.

[jedione65]

Originally Posted by Bd50

Wow that’s terrible! Sadly, anywhere in the states is open to home burglaries, even in gated communities.

No one should live without basic security cameras and a simple home alarm, it helps in 95% of cases and often is a deterrent when scumbags are casing a neighborhood.

Also, check with your homeowner insurance! Maybe they can still cover this loss if you have photos, videos and/or receipts for the stolen items.

Unfortunately my homeowners insurance has a special limit of $3000 for jewelry and watches only, even though the total aggregate for all other items not in special categories, is much higher.

[noobs]

I remember this happened to this gentleman as well. Maybe you could reach out and see if he has any additional tips?

[watchfreak207]

Just a scary thought. I put my watch collections into an online database like Chrono24, watchcharts etc.. It has details of my watch inventory and address. If their data is ever hacked, wouldn't the hackers know what watches you have and where u live?

[chro.nic]

Originally Posted by watchfreak207

Just a scary thought. I put my watch collections into an online database like Chrono24, watchcharts etc.. It has details of my watch inventory and address. If their data is ever hacked, wouldn't the hackers know what watches you have and where u live?

I don't understand why anyone would put that kind of information online!

OP, sorry for your loss, hoping for the best for you!

.nic

[jedione65]

Update:
It’s seems one of the watches was searched as part of a database where the serials were entered at watchregister (an art loss recovery company). Unfortunately they were unsuccessful at getting the watch and recovered, despite being informed by watchregister to hold the watch pending further investigation. It seems the dealer that searched the watch on chrono 24 returned it to the other seller. All information was provided to the LAPD detective on the case but he hasn’t been able to track it and this business seemed to denied knowing about the watch.

After doing some digging because the watchregister would not give me the information outright, the name of the dealer is R and J watch Co on 631 S Olive St Los Angeles. Unfortunately the detective could not verify the phone number and they this business ever had the watch. They seemed to have given it back to their seller or another dealer to hold on to (unlikely)
The watchregister assured me they have an invoice from chrono24 with this business and the serial number of the watch.

Any other suggestion for pursuing this or is it a lost cause? My suspicion it this dealer R and J Watch Co is part of a larger network of stolen watches though police has not been able to track of help much.


At the very least buyers beware of this shady business R and J Watch Co in downtown LA likely selling stolen watches.

[Steele]

Originally Posted by jedione65

Update:
It’s seems one of the watches was searched as part of a database where the serials were entered at watchregister (an art loss recovery company). Unfortunately they were unsuccessful at getting the watch and recovered, despite being informed by watchregister to hold the watch pending further investigation. It seems the dealer that searched the watch on chrono 24 returned it to the other seller. All information was provided to the LAPD detective on the case but he hasn’t been able to track it and this business seemed to denied knowing about the watch.

After doing some digging because the watchregister would not give me the information outright, the name of the dealer is R and J watch Co on 631 S Olive St Los Angeles. Unfortunately the detective could not verify the phone number and they this business ever had the watch. They seemed to have given it back to their seller or another dealer to hold on to (unlikely)
The watchregister assured me they have an invoice from chrono24 with this business and the serial number of the watch.

Any other suggestion for pursuing this or is it a lost cause? My suspicion it this dealer R and J Watch Co is part of a larger network of stolen watches though police has not been able to track of help much.


At the very least buyers beware of this shady business R and J Watch Co in downtown LA likely selling stolen watches.

Time to hire a PI

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by steveclr

This answers my main question, i.e. how many people knew of your collection. I suspected loose lips or a social media slip-up. Very strange. I hope that we get answers and you get your watches back. So sorry to hear about this. I feel for you both. Posting the serial numbers (at least here) was the way to go.

That brings up a great point. In what circumstances, and with how much difficulty, would a saavy tech operator be able to get from a TRF user name to an email address to a real person to a physical address?

[Daytona king]

Originally Posted by jedione65

I wonder if I can just report the stolen watches to Rolex Beverly Hills service center?
I’m also curious what other steps the LAPD can take in this investigation. They sent someone from forensics but couldn’t really get any prints since most of our furniture and fixtures is wood.

I would bet they will not wind up sold in cali. I would imagine they wound be sold in NY or Miami. Sorry for your loss. I hope you get your watches back.


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[RRGHOST1]

Not a nice feeling for sure. I had my 1680 Submariner stolen in 1983 out of my house.

[brandrea]

Thank you for the update. I hope by some miracle you recover your stolen property.

[77T]

Thanks for the update.
Almost an identical experience that I had while on the hunt for my stolen Platona but mine was a NYC dealer. Wasn't a WatchRegister situation but included help from a TRF member in NY.

The NYPD couldn't do a thing since watch was promptly withdrawn and no "proof of theft by receiving".

Just make sure to keep the reports on the Rolex theft list. By now, all the watches are in the morass of shady dealers or unwitting buyers.


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[Norbert]

Sorry to hear this. Hang in there. My only advice is get a wired in alarm system. Sophisticated thieves now use Wi-Fi and cell blockers to break into houses.

[EndlessEight]

Originally Posted by fooey

Sorry about this, mate. It's unbelievable!
Did u have a camera or at least a ring doorbell to try and identify these thieving scumbags?

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They use cell and wifi jammers now that render Ring useless. You also can't call for help.

[EndlessEight]

Originally Posted by Norbert

Sorry to hear this. Hang in there. My only advice is get a wired in alarm system. Sophisticated thieves now use Wi-Fi and cell blockers to break into houses.

yep