Watch out for a smoking deal-big Rolex robbery

[watchteacher]

IRVINE – Police are searching for a man and a woman who clerks believe swiped 16 Rolex watches from a display case at an Irvine jeweler.
The burglary was reported about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, at David Lee Jewelers in the Culver Plaza Shopping Center in Irvine, according to police records.

Sixteen Rolex watches were stolen from David Lee Jewelers in Irvine last week.
The jewelry store was open for business at the time of the incident, according to Irvine police spokesman Lt. John Hare.
Two people – described as a couple in their 40s – are believed to have removed the Rolex watches from a display case and left the store without paying for the items while employees were helping potential customers, according to Hare.
The store employees realized the theft occurred after the two had already left the store, according to Hare. The watches were worth an estimated total of $376,000.
The man was described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 170 pounds with dark hair. He was wearing slacks and a polo-type shirt with horizontal stripes.
The woman was described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 160 pounds, and wearing a flowery dress. She wore her dark hair in a bun and carried a large purse.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Sampson at 949-724-7179.

[Rolesor]

wow that's a heluva take - they'll get caught within hours I predict!

[watchteacher]

It's almost been a week.

[mjm800]

Wow, I cannot believe it can ever be that easy to get behind a counter. The AD I go to you would have to jump over the counter to get behind it there is no way to walk around it, it is continuous and can only be access by a small locked swing gate in the back. The glass behind the counter is also locked.

I bet their insurance will give them a hard time when it comes to them filing a claim. I bet the insurance investigators are going to be thinking set up inside job insurance scam.

[fc3s2k]

Maybe it's an "inside job" and get thier money back from the insurance company.

[Zed Homme]

Sounds like the guy in Glendale...

Don't they have security guards in CA? This does sound like an inside job...

[ParisDakarBmw]

If the glass wasn't broken, someone left the counter open.

The number one rule when letting people handle items is to keep theft in mind.

[mickyvee]

At my AD, you have to ask before the staff will retrieve even one watch, from the display case. And even if you grabbed it, you couldn't get out of the shop because there are two electrically controlled doors, controlled by the staff. There are also the CCTV cameras. The store that suffered the robbery sounds like a very slack set up.

[Tijssan]

Originally Posted by ParisDakarBmw

If the glass wasn't broken, someone left the counter open.

The number one rule when letting people handle items is to keep theft in mind.

That person will be applying for unemployment benefits very soon...

[David Woo]

They're worthless without boxes and papers.
DW

[ObscureLight]

Originally Posted by David Woo

They're worthless without boxes and papers.
DW

Are you kidding? watches sell easily without box and papers if the prices go low enough. While people here might be more cautious when faced with this type of deal, there are many out there who would jump on the deal of getting a rolex at 20-30% of retail price. If the watches arent worth anything without box and papers then I guess i should sell box and papers for $5000 and I guess the watch for $500 lol.

Originally Posted by fc3s2k

Maybe it's an "inside job" and get thier money back from the insurance company.

Possibly I mean in a crowded store how does two customers walk behind the counter, scoop up 16 watches and the chance that there is no one that noticed? Their employees = Fail. Even if i was talking to someone i would notice something like that. Many jewelry stores have locks on the display cabinets and they have to constantly lock and unlock it to take watches out.

[roger0770]

there will be some rolex watches without box and papers for sale soon

[JUSTROLEXES]

Originally Posted by watchteacher

IRVINE – Police are searching for a man and a woman who clerks believe swiped 16 Rolex watches from a display case at an Irvine jeweler.
The burglary was reported about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, at David Lee Jewelers in the Culver Plaza Shopping Center in Irvine, according to police records.

Sixteen Rolex watches were stolen from David Lee Jewelers in Irvine last week.
The jewelry store was open for business at the time of the incident, according to Irvine police spokesman Lt. John Hare.
Two people – described as a couple in their 40s – are believed to have removed the Rolex watches from a display case and left the store without paying for the items while employees were helping potential customers, according to Hare.
The store employees realized the theft occurred after the two had already left the store, according to Hare. The watches were worth an estimated total of $376,000.
The man was described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 170 pounds with dark hair. He was wearing slacks and a polo-type shirt with horizontal stripes.
The woman was described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 160 pounds, and wearing a flowery dress. She wore her dark hair in a bun and carried a large purse.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Sampson at 949-724-7179.

Thanks for the info and that's why it's always good to buy the seller and to buy with warranty papers I'm sure they forgot to pick up the warranty cards
Do you have info on the Serial # by any chance?

[tifosi]

I hope they got the unscrambled serial number watches since they'll be more collectable in the future....lol. I wish I could put the little dummy emoticon from my phone on tapatalk. haha

[echau]

Originally Posted by ObscureLight

Are you kidding? watches sell easily without box and papers if the prices go low enough. While people here might be more cautious when faced with this type of deal, there are many out there who would jump on the deal of getting a rolex at 20-30% of retail price. If the watches arent worth anything without box and papers then I guess i should sell box and papers for $5000 and I guess the watch for $500 lol.

I think he was being sarcastic...

[David Woo]

Originally Posted by echau

I think he was being sarcastic...

Sometimes the humor just doesn't come thru the internet, lol.
DW

[sea-dweller]

Wow, unbelievable ! I have been to that mall where this AD is. It is usually quite crowded (pedestrian and vehicular traffic), so these crooks must have had some planning and guts !

[Tunacan26]

Holy cow, that's the same AD my watch came from -- Via a purchase from one of our most prominant sellers about 2 months ago. Yeah, didn't get it this week....

[cody p]

sounds like those two are good at what they do - too bad what they do isn't good. i'd like to have been a fly on the wall to see how they pulled that one off.

[cajunron]

I wonder how many security guards $376K would get?

[bobswatches]

At our store we have a separate area from our main lobby where our display case is which we buzz people into when we are ready to serve them. Keeps people from stealing watches while we are helping other customers and if they try to they can't get out anyways...

Can't believe the lax security definitely looks like an inside job.

[Bigboss]

Rolex Sao Paulo @ Cidade Jardim shopping center was robbed 2 months ago.it was a 6 people operation with guns. The thieves took more than US650K in rolex watches.

Walter

[SLS]

Wow, that's an average of $23,500 for each watch...sounds like they got some heavy hitters!
Scott

[tgoose1]

Well, that's one way to move slow selling inventory.

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by SLS

Wow, that's an average of $23,500 for each watch...sounds like they got some heavy hitters!
Scott

That's what I was thinking....seems high.

[Damavand]

Originally Posted by David Woo

They're worthless without boxes and papers.
DW

With all due respect, They will be sold in a day at half price without the Box/Papers if, taken to CHINA or Eastern Europe...