Stolen Rolexes and other watches

[muzzletug]

Good afternoon. I'm a long time lurker and generally don't post. Today I have something for you.

My home was broken in to yesterday afternoon and a number of watches were stolen. They were in and out in 7 minutes The police were called and a report has been made. I don't have much hope in seeing them again, but thought I would put this out there.

Where do they take these watches? All the Rolex watches are vintage. I live in south/central NJ and trying to get an idea of where these watches will be sold or any steps i should take other than what's been done with the police and insurance.

The sunnier side to this story is that I was wearing my 1680 Red Sub and they somehow overlooked my 16250 Daytona.

Thanks ahead of time for any help.

J.

Here's the list of watches:

Rolex 1601 Datejust White gold bezel Serial Number 14079725

Rolex 16570 GMT Master Black Serial Number 8633070

Rolex 16800 Submariner Matte Serial Number 8271352

Rolex 16573 GMT "Root beer" on leather strap Serial Number 6122455
Serial Number 1208935

Breitling Superocean Heritage 46 on brown leather Strap Serial Number 1208935

Breitling Transocean Chronometer on brown leather strap Serial Number 3030729/523 Numbered case

Panerai Luminor Marina 44 PAM00111 on leather strap Serial Number OP6727BB1387764

Tag Heuer Carrera Chronometer Black Serial Number no listed.

[Jim Smyth]

Sorry to hear of the theft. Really hate people that steal! Once the Police report has been filed get a copy. I believe you can then call Rolex and then follow up and send the Police report so they can put it in there system. This way if any of the stolen watches come in for service they will be flagged as stolen. I would also frequent local pawn shops. Guys here have found there watches a week or two later show up there. I hope you had them insured. Best of luck.

[HL65]

Sorry to hear and best of luck in recovery - hope they get caught somehow.

[Wesley Crusher]

Terrible. Was anything else stolen from you? Was your house destroyed (e.g., things thrown all over, chairs flipped, etc...)?

[THC]

Glad the humans are ok... I am assuming they are as no mention of injury.. Insurance hopefully?

[Dashimmy]

Slim SOB's. Report them stolen to the locals and to the surrounding authorities. But do your own legwork. The police are overwhelmed with theft and keep looking in local shops and the surrounding areas. With that many gone you'll find one with the right work and that could lead to the rest. That suck tho....

[SpaceWanderer]

Seven minutes? Where they just sitting out in the open? If not, sounds like an inside job. Oh, and never post your serial numbers online. That's for the cops, insurance and Rolex only.

[muzzletug]

The family if fine. Thank you.

They were in and out in 8 minutes or so. Our motion sensors recorded all the action. No video, sadly.

Nothing else was stolen. The only room they tossed was the master bedroom. My wife's jewelry and all computers and an ipad were untouched. I found this odd at first but then realized that watches are much easier to turn in to cash.

My biggest issue with the pawn shop angle is that NYC is less than an hour away and then you have to take in to account all the New Jersey towns like Elizabeth and others in proximity.

I have a copy of the report and will get to informing the Rolex RSC.

I will keep at it and update with any findings.

[muzzletug]

Watches were not in the open. They were in a cabinet.

My best advice after this, don't keep anything of value in your bedroom. It's the first place anyone looks.

We've considered the notion of someone with some knowledge and a list everyone who has had recent access to our home has been turned over to the police. The police didn't think too much of that idea. They said the skilled thiefs know where to look.

Lastly, I listed the SN's because of the vast community of buyers/sellers on in this forum. Perhaps one of you will come across one of these pieces. I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, but at this point I figure they are most likely gone. If the Moderator thinks it's a bad idea, please remove or contact me and I will remove.

[Seaswirl]

Diamond District on 47th Street. I'd actually take a day and go through all the shops as a fake buyer. Sorry to hear about the watches, but thank goodness no one was hurt. Good luck.

[landroverking]

So sorry for your break in.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by SpaceWanderer

Seven minutes? Where they just sitting out in the open? If not, sounds like an inside job. Oh, and never post your serial numbers online. That's for the cops, insurance and Rolex only.

And Google search if any potential buyer wants to check the serial number, or check here. I'd post mine if I had a watch stolen.

[Old Geezer]

Sorry to hear about the theft but glad no one was hurt. It's sucks to be the victim of a theft but stuff can be replaced. Any reason to suspect you may have been specifically targeted versus a random burglary or crime of opportunity ? Maybe seen in a market or convenience store wearing a nice watch and followed to see where you live.
Now that the thieves have been in your house, if I were you, I would upgrade my security system to include video just in case they want to come back.
Good luck finding your watches or getting a good resolution from your insurance carrier.

[bharat]

So sorry to hear. I hope a miracle happens and you get your watches back.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by muzzletug

The family if fine. Thank you.

They were in and out in 8 minutes or so. Our motion sensors recorded all the action. No video, sadly.

Nothing else was stolen. The only room they tossed was the master bedroom. My wife's jewelry and all computers and an ipad were untouched. I found this odd at first but then realized that watches are much easier to turn in to cash.

My biggest issue with the pawn shop angle is that NYC is less than an hour away and then you have to take in to account all the New Jersey towns like Elizabeth and others in proximity.

I have a copy of the report and will get to informing the Rolex RSC.

I will keep at it and update with any findings.

Originally Posted by muzzletug

Watches were not in the open. They were in a cabinet.

My best advice after this, don't keep anything of value in your bedroom. It's the first place anyone looks.

We've considered the notion of someone with some knowledge and a list everyone who has had recent access to our home has been turned over to the police. The police didn't think too much of that idea. They said the skilled thiefs know where to look.

Lastly, I listed the SN's because of the vast community of buyers/sellers on in this forum. Perhaps one of you will come across one of these pieces. I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, but at this point I figure they are most likely gone. If the Moderator thinks it's a bad idea, please remove or contact me and I will remove.

The thieves were in and out in a matter of minutes, stole your watches (that were not out in the open) and didn't take anything else? That sounds very suspicious to me.

I'd agree that skilled thieves know where to look, but how did they know that you have a valuable collection watches? Were any other homes broken into? It really seems like somebody who you know was behind this.

Anyway, I hope you're able to recover your collection. Good luck.

[luvsub]

Sorry to hear this.

[dominic.warren]

Sorry to hear but like it has been said thank goodness no one was hurt. Don't forget craigslist.

[watchwatcher]

Scum. Here's hoping for swift justice.

[05carbondrz]

I am thinking a inside Job as well,Good Luck.

[Lordofrolex]

Hope you get them back

[NYCREBROKER]

Oh no. So sorry.

[stil]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

The thieves were in and out in a matter of minutes, stole your watches (that were not out in the open) and didn't take anything else? That sounds very suspicious to me.

I'd agree that skilled thieves know where to look, but how did they know that you have a valuable collection watches? Were any other homes broken into? It really seems like somebody who you know was behind this.

Anyway, I hope you're able to recover your collection. Good luck.

Yes. Sounds odd.

If wife's jewelry includes precious stones or gold thats easy to sell as well. Doesnt make sense.

Good luck. Hope you find the thieves.

[kingSubTT]

Sorry to hear. Why would you keep all these watches at home? I have 2, one on wrist and one in bank vault.

[nick c]

Wow so sorry to hear I hope they will catch them

[DeeTee]

Originally Posted by muzzletug

Good afternoon. I'm a long time lurker and generally don't post. Today I have something for you.

My home was broken in to yesterday afternoon and a number of watches were stolen. They were in and out in 7 minutes The police were called and a report has been made. I don't have much hope in seeing them again, but thought I would put this out there.

Where do they take these watches? All the Rolex watches are vintage. I live in south/central NJ and trying to get an idea of where these watches will be sold or any steps i should take other than what's been done with the police and insurance.

The sunnier side to this story is that I was wearing my 1680 Red Sub and they somehow overlooked my 16250 Daytona.

Thanks ahead of time for any help.

J.

Here's the list of watches:

Rolex 1601 Datejust White gold bezel Serial Number 14079725

Rolex 16570 GMT Master Black Serial Number 8633070

Rolex 16800 Submariner Matte Serial Number 8271352

Rolex 16573 GMT "Root beer" on leather strap Serial Number 6122455
Serial Number 1208935

Breitling Superocean Heritage 46 on brown leather Strap Serial Number 1208935

Breitling Transocean Chronometer on brown leather strap Serial Number 3030729/523 Numbered case

Panerai Luminor Marina 44 PAM00111 on leather strap Serial Number OP6727BB1387764

Tag Heuer Carrera Chronometer Black Serial Number no listed.

Were the watches in a safe or just sitting in a dresser if you don't mind me asking.

Sorry for your loss, glad you and your family are safe.

[hdrazor251]

I hate thieves and hope they fry!! Keep looking at ebay and craigslist. Best of luck on restitution.

[SL BRABUS]

Sad & sorry to hear about...

Hope everything work out......

[10XRolex]

Sorry to hear. Same thing happened to me several years ago. Got my front Door kicked right in They took all of my wife's jewelry, 4k in cash and about 70k in watches. The only one they didn't get was the Rolex on my wrist.

Luckily I was insured for almost all of it. I scoured the Internet for weeks in trying to find my watches. Low and behold one of them showed up on Ebay out of NYC. My local police dept. was clueless on how to go about it when I informed them. I had to become my own detective.

I purchased the watch on Ebay via my AMEX. Once I got the watch; then and only then did the police do something. The detectives went into the city and teamed up with NYC police to the address that the watch came from. It wound up to be one of those small jewelry businesses amongst a bunch of other jewelry businesses. The police also found another one of my watches in the store as well.

The person got arrested, and a slap slap on the wrist. He played stupid and did the old I don't know what you are talking about. "Some guy approached me about selling watches and I bought them". "I don't know who he was or any information on him". The laws are not put into place for the good guys to get off. It is put into place for the bad guys to walk all over the system and get away with it.

So I got two watches back. Had to fight the charge with Amex to get my money back, which I did. Had to drive into Queens to speak with the D.A. about the case and to prove the watch was mine, etc etc and more bs. Then when it was all cleared I had to drive into Brooklyn to pick up the watch from holding. In the long run, nothing happened to the guy that had my watches. He played the deaf, dumb and blind act with the police.

With regards to Rolex. They only file your loss claim for the U.S. If you want it to be on record throughout the world then you have to inform them that that is what you wish for. Then and only then will they let the other Rolex offices aware. Also be prepared that if say London Rolex gets the watch during a service, you would potentially have to fly to London to make your claim. Keep in mind it is a legal matter.

Sorry for your loss again. Don't give up and hopefully this was of some help.

[havingagoodtime]

Terrible! I too would like to know how you became a target. Cleaning crew? Babysitter's bf? I hope everything turns up soon.

[silverbullet818]

Buy a big as 3000 lbs safe and keep everything in it.

A smash and grab will get nothing.