Rolex lost and stolen number

[Burrost1]

Called the 'Lost and Stolen' register last month and managed to get through ok, called this week and the line has been suspended with a review of what will happen to it!
The woman at Rolex advised me to call back in a month but couldn't guarantee that the service would be resumed.
Does anyone know the reaseons behind this?
This makes buying used Rolexes that little bit more tricky, it certianly put a buyer off one of mine even though it's just come back from Rolex!!

Any members any thoughts?

[Burrost1]

Any members in the uk know when this service will return?

[RolexSA]

Never realised that you could call Rolex about lost & stolen and was under the impression that only a copy of a police report is taken in consideration .

[Burrost1]

You can check serial numbers against the list. It was very handy when buying watches from the internet.

[Tools]

The service may not return in the UK.

You have not been able to "call in" in the US for many years. You must take the watch in and they will either tell you it's OK, or recover it for the owner..

I would surmise that if you could just call in and were told it was stolen/lost, they would not actually recover many watches..

[Burrost1]

Thanks tools.

[Time2time]

Phoned Rolex (U.K) in St. James's Square London today as I was curious too.

And confirmed. No longer available and will not be returning.
Gave me no reason other than that it has been withdrawn.

That was a handy service as many jewellers dealing in pre-owned Rolexes always sold their watches with a fax from Rolex proving that it wasn't on the lost & stolen list.

Surely it's not a cost cutting exercise is it??

[yannis]

Originally Posted by Tools

You must take the watch in and they will either tell you it's OK, or recover it for the owner..

Isn't a buyer who acts in good faith and buys a Rolex that turns out to be stolen protected? I seriously doubt that Rolex has any right whatsoever to confiscate any goods that are the property of an individual. It makes no sense that the laws in force in the U.S. may grant a private entity such as Rolex S.A. such superpowers. In any case the buyer who acts in good faith must be protected somehow.

[astar]

well what a shock to hear, i phoned Rolex once ,before they moved,talked nice to the women,she phoned me back,to verify me,she verbally game me the information,that the watch was not on the lost stolen records,although she did indicate rolex was tired of the phone calls due to Ebay sales & people constantly,phoning.
So looks like Ebay sales have messed it up for us all.
So what can we do now ?, just makes it easier for the fake Rolex dealers,to con more innoccent people.
I'm sure even if Rolex turned the tel number into a premium number,to help towards staff wages,people still would use this service.

[Time2time]

Originally Posted by astar

well what a shock to hear, i phoned Rolex once ,before they moved,talked nice to the women,she phoned me back,to verify me,she verbally game me the information,that the watch was not on the lost stolen records,although she did indicate rolex was tired of the phone calls due to Ebay sales & people constantly,phoning.
So looks like Ebay sales have messed it up for us all.
So what can we do now ?, just makes it easier for the fake Rolex dealers,to con more innoccent people.
I'm sure even if Rolex turned the tel number into a premium number,to help towards staff wages,people still would use this service.

Even if they made a small charge, £10 or something it could be worth their while. I think that this service will be missed in the U.K big time.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by yannis7777

Isn't a buyer who acts in good faith and buys a Rolex that turns out to be stolen protected? I seriously doubt that Rolex has any right whatsoever to confiscate any goods that are the property of an individual. It makes no sense that the laws in force in the U.S. may grant a private entity such as Rolex S.A. such superpowers. In any case the buyer who acts in good faith must be protected somehow.

No, that is not the case...

A buyer who buys stolen goods in good faith is protected from prosecution for that theft but has no other legal rights.. The watch is not his property simply by having paid somebody for it because it was not lawfully procured to begin with..

Rolex doesn't have any "super powers", but they will report that they have stolen goods in their possession to the proper authorities and request guidance...

If you're caught with stolen goods you need to be able to explain your actions and you do not get your money back unless who you bought it from was also scammed - and they're nice enough to refund your money..

Many Rolex watches fall into the grand-theft category

[yannis]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, that is not the case...

...you do not get your money back unless who you bought it from was also scammed - and they're nice enough to refund your money..

Can a lawyer in the US tell us which Act says so? It doesn't sound right to me.

[SkyKing31]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, that is not the case...

A buyer who buys stolen goods in good faith is protected from prosecution for that theft but has no other legal rights.. The watch is not his property simply by having paid somebody for it because it was not lawfully procured to begin with..

Rolex doesn't have any "super powers", but they will report that they have stolen goods in their possession to the proper authorities and request guidance...

If you're caught with stolen goods you need to be able to explain your actions and you do not get your money back unless who you bought it from was also scammed - and they're nice enough to refund your money..

Many Rolex watches fall into the grand-theft category

I had a DD stolen from me at gun point a few years ago .. Although I walked away with only a fast heartbeat and a little high blood pressure, I still lost a very expensive watch .. My watch was reported to the police as well as Rolex USA .. I certainly wouldnt want to see an innocent person arrested for being in possesion of that watch but I would demand to have that watch back regardless of how much the other person paid for it

[Evan614]

I do not think the law allows Rolex to KEEP the watch or give it to the person that claims it was stolen from them. They merely hold onto it so local authorities can sort out it's true provenance.
Anyone can go into a local jewelry store, look a watch and catch the serial number off it... call Rolex and say this serial number is stolen (an perhaps supply a police report) and then wait for it to go in for repair and boom they have themselves a watch. I think the ones that report the watch stolen need to have some type of proof.
I am suspect they wait for the Police to tell them where to ship it or send it to them for processing.

[tattooedfagin]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, that is not the case...

A buyer who buys stolen goods in good faith is protected from prosecution for that theft but has no other legal rights.. The watch is not his property simply by having paid somebody for it because it was not lawfully procured to begin with..

100% right......i've bought stuff in the past for my shop, all in good faith & have also taken ID from the seller, but when the item then turned out to be stolen i lost both the goods & the cash but, as i'd taken ID etc, etc i didn't get prosecuted or my premises trashed

[Evan614]

Originally Posted by tattooedfagin

100% right......i've bought stuff in the past for my shop, all in good faith & have also taken ID from the seller, but when the item then turned out to be stolen i lost both the goods & the cash but, as i'd taken ID etc, etc i didn't get prosecuted or my premises trashed

pawnshops in Ohio are immune to possession of stolen goods. If a pawnshop purchases a stolen item and the victim finds it there. The victim has to purchase the item from the pawnshop.