Rolex 14060 (serial K881834) STOLEN from my 73 year old father's wrist

[Watch-Ed]

Originally Posted by joeboy

I hope your Dad is ok, that's a shit thing to happen especially to an older gent. Brussels is a nice town too, just goes to show.

A loony ex legionnaire mate of mine liked to spend a few weeks each Winter in the Dam smoking weed and kicking back. His first stop when getting off the train at Damrak was a knife shop. Bought a blade, carried it and put it in the bin when he left. Every time.. Pulled it once in many years of going, it had the desired effect. Give your Dad a hug from me, really sorry to hear this.. :(

I'm not suggesting your Dad should be cutting about with a blade going all Yakuza but a pepper spray or a storm whistle might be handy?

My hope for the thief is that he dies screaming with no painkillers nearby.

Thanks for the nice words and advice.
Yakuza or pepper spray, it could have easily been turned against him, the thief was in his late 20s early 30s and obviously much stronger.
I am glad this happened fast and my father didn't have time to try to defend himself or he could have been more hurt.

Originally Posted by Tikandtokalot

Very sorry for your dad.
As for the scum hope he's enjoying the life he deserves.

Originally Posted by Driver8

Absolute scum, the world over.

At the end of the day though, your dad's health (and life) is worth far more than a watch, so I'm glad he's OK.

Thank you guys for the kind words. Karma will do its thing eventually...

[JerBear]

So sorry to hear this. Glad he's doing relatively well but I can't imagine the trauma from such an assault. Hoping the thief is found and the watch is returned.

[mgsooner]

This is just sickening. First I am very glad to hear your father is ok. Second I sincerely hope the watch is recovered and returned to him.

[crazycarlitos]

Terrible to hear.

Glad ur dad is ok overall.. but I understand the experience can be harrowing.

Hopefully he will get the watch back soon.

Karma’s a bitch so the robber will get whatever is coming to him.
Hopefully sooner than later.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by Watch-Ed

Hi,

Yesterday at 4PM my father was walking back home in Brussels, Belgium and did not notice a man was following him.
When he opened the door of his house the man rushed inside behind him, tackled him and ripped his watch off his wrist before running away.
He was wearing it on a Nato strap which probably helped the thief.

Thanks god my father is fine and was left with only scratches and a big shock.
Material things are always replaceable but since he wore it everyday since it was bought new in 2002, it was more a question of sentimental value.

He filed a police report right away and sent them a copy of the papers along with pictures of the watch.
The police told him they could reach out to Rolex Belgium but that we needed to report the Serial numbers to the Rolex service centers International database.
How do I proceed to do that?

The watch is a Rolex No date Submariner 14060 Serial K881834, it is on a nato so it should be easy to see the serial.
For those who know Brussels it was stolen in Ixelles, near Avenue Louise.
The police said it is very common these days, they almost always target women or older men with Rolexes.
I had heard many similar stories in Paris and London but not in Brussels, my advice is when you go to any of these cities avoid Rolex and wear a swatch or a low-key watch.

Of course, if anyone were to come across this watch online or in a store, please do let me know. Thank you.

Here is a picture of the watch (left is the one that got stolen, right one is mine):


That's my father's wrist last night, the guy must have pulled pretty hard because you could still see the holes of the nato:

We kept hearing about being careful in Paris but boarding a train in Brussels in November 2019 a dark haired man grabbed a laptop satchel from the luggage of some American couple boarding the same train. The lady reacted quickly, gave chase and retrieved her case at the probable expense of having dislocated this guys arm. He was last seen running down the platform holding his shoulder…

Very glad your father wasn’t hurt!!

[LC23]

I am sorry. Totally wrong.

[1995akcoop]

damn, sorry to hear


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[DC116710LN]

Just terrible. I'm glad your father is safe at least. Please pass along my well wishes

[Ricky Rolex]

Despicable b@stard!

Sorry to hear this man. Glad dad is ok.

Hopefully will turn up somewhere. Reach out to local pawn / second hand jewellery stores to give them the heads up.


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[THC]

Man, so sorry for Dad .. tell him your international TRF brethren are all rooting for him.

[kaiserphoenix]

Firstly Im so glad your father's injuries were minimal.

What a despicable scum of the earth targetting a vulnerable citizen. Honestly these individuals need to be caught and punished. Absolute trash.

[Pandos]

Sorry to hear OP and glad that your father is okay.

Sad world we live in with people targeting the elderly like this

[sleddog]

Can only hope 'Karma' comes back to bite this thief, and sooner than later!

[Masteryacht]

Would like to spit some Beechnut in that dude's eye and do something else that can’t be mentioned here. People are evil.

[Fanofsteel]

Thank God your dad's okay. It's unfortunate that this subhuman piece of garbage is at-large. Let your dad know that we are all rooting for him.

[HACKNSACK44]

I'm glad your father is ok.

[Batmannr1]

Very sorry to hear this. Most important your father is ok ( except for the shock and the hurted wrist). I am staying a lot in Brussels (near Place Brugmann) and find it a lot safer to wear a Rolex in the public space then my hometown Amsterdam. Makes me sad that even in Ixelles, you need to think twice before wearing a Rolex.

[TimeOnHand]

Mate … so sorry to hear this … I am glad your father is doing ok.

[Rokoru]

I am glad your father is doing okay.. I hope this is not a new trend as more and more people start to recognize the value of certain watch brands..

[RRGHOST1]

Sorry to hear this, but i have my view on this. is that Rolex the company, are partly to blame for this. The fact that the enhanced price on certain watches,notably the Professional line, and the fact you can't obtain them , just makes it a more lucrative business stealing them off some poor defenceless old man !

[Tomas Eriksson]

Cowards going after women and seniors. Any surveillance near by?

I kind wish I will witness something like this so I can kick the crap out the thief.

[Giangos]

That’s horrible for your dad, I hope he is ok.

And the robber is just disgusting, karma will get its revenge, he will be sorry one day.


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[SoylentGreenChi]

Sigh, what a terrible story, thankfully your father was not more seriously injured. If you’re in Chicago, a wonderful city that of course has its own problems with crime, send me a message and I’ll buy you a beer - I figure that the forums can help turn this situation into something positive.

Bon courage!

[brandrea]

I’m truly sorry this happened to your dad and I’m happy to hear he wasn’t physically harmed.

It’s sad to see anyone attacked like this, but especially the elderly.

[walkman2727]

I am glad your dad is fine! The world is not the same as the year he bought the watch.
Dont worry too much about RSC database.... go home have great meal with your dad :)

[Arlchrono]

I am happy to hear that your dad is in a good condition, and I hope that the coward gets what he truly deserves soonest.

[Jackie Daytona]

Very sorry to hear. I hate seeing these types of things. Hope all is well with your father and the watch is recovered.

[acheronsgrief]

That’s terrible. Sorry to hear this and thankful that he’s physically ok.

[Watch-Ed]

Quick and positive update:

The thief was caught around October or November last year, a big part of the gang was also arrested thanks to data found on his phone, it was also not surprising the phone was full of pictures of watches and various other stolen valuables.

In December of last year Rolex contacted us to tell us the watch was brought in for service in Geneva, I immediately felt relieved imagining the watch will go back to us right away but they told me:

"Rolex cannot hold the watch and are obliged to inform the person who brings it in that it is stolen, then if he asks for it back they have to give it to him."

They then suggested we hire a lawyer if we want to get the watch back...

This was shocking news to me as the watch was purchased new from Rolex Geneva, was always serviced there throughout the years and we had all the documentation proving ownership, the theft etc...

Following a friend's advice we contacted the police in Geneva and they seized the watch, they then told us that they would investigate further and a judge will have to decide who is the rightful owner.

Now a year later they finally contacted us saying (won't write the names for obvious reasons):
- Mr K. who brought it for service purchased the watch from a shop in Geneva in good faith.
- That shop bought it from Mr D. in Turkey
- The person in Turkey bought it from Mr O. in the UK
- They did not know how it arrived from Brussels to the UK
- The person who bought it received a replacement watch from the shop in Geneva (hopefully not stolen this time) and is no longer interested in this one

So the watch travelled quite a bit in less than 6 months but I can now finally pick it up on my next to trip to Geneva and give it back to my father!

A big thanks for the kind messages above and to the Police in Brussels and Geneva for the good work. I dont know if Rolex handles stolen watches like this worldwide or it is only in Switzerland but hope they change their policy soon as it clearly doesn't discourage people from stealing or buying stolen watches.

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by Watch-Ed

Quick and positive update:

The thief was caught around October or November last year, a big part of the gang was also arrested thanks to data found on his phone, it was also not surprising the phone was full of pictures of watches and various other stolen valuables.

In December of last year Rolex contacted us to tell us the watch was brought in for service in Geneva, I immediately felt relieved imagining the watch will go back to us right away but they told me:

"Rolex cannot hold the watch and are obliged to inform the person who brings it in that it is stolen, then if he asks for it back they have to give it to him."

They then suggested we hire a lawyer if we want to get the watch back...

This was shocking news to me as the watch was purchased new from Rolex Geneva, was always serviced there throughout the years and we had all the documentation proving ownership, the theft etc...

Following a friend's advice we contacted the police in Geneva and they seized the watch, they then told us that they would investigate further and a judge will have to decide who is the rightful owner.

Now a year later they finally contacted us saying (won't write the names for obvious reasons):
- Mr K. who brought it for service purchased the watch from a shop in Geneva in good faith.
- That shop bought it from Mr D. in Turkey
- The person in Turkey bought it from Mr O. in the UK
- They did not know how it arrived from Brussels to the UK
- The person who bought it received a replacement watch from the shop in Geneva (hopefully not stolen this time) and is no longer interested in this one

So the watch travelled quite a bit in less than 6 months but I can now finally pick it up on my next to trip to Geneva and give it back to my father!

A big thanks for the kind messages above and to the Police in Brussels and Geneva for the good work. I dont know if Rolex handles stolen watches like this worldwide or it is only in Switzerland but hope they change their policy soon as it clearly doesn't discourage people from stealing or buying stolen watches.

excellent outcome!