Rolex stolen in Barcelona

[Al1969]

Originally Posted by Rafabond

In Barcelona there is a lot of illegal immigration and a lot of blame for what is happening is due to the mayor of the city, she is a communist who defends the criminal, let's hope that in the next elections the communists of Barcelona and part of the government of Spain will disappear.

Must be part of the cultural “enrichment”.
Thieves are embolden in many places throughout the world. Weak
politicians, lack of enforcement of laws and criminals(IF CAUGHT) get off easy.

OP, wish you the best in getting your property back.

[RolexRon456]

Maybe things like this will bring Rolex prices down. I live in Chicago and would not buy another watch since I can barely wear my steel GMT or DD40.

[woof]

Yikes!!! sorry to hear that.... but most importantly you're okay.

[blue17]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

How did they get the watch off your wrist?

These guys are pros that probably do this every day. It's off your wrist before you ever knew what happened.

[MRBolton]

Originally Posted by blue17

These guys are pros that probably do this every day. It's off your wrist before you ever knew what happened.

I imagine so. I’m just wondering how they typically do it, as I may be able to better prevent it happening to myself if I have a good idea of their strategy.

Definitely feel very sorry for the OP; that’s heartbreaking.


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[BigBallerBrand]

Disgusting. Hope you are reconnected with the watch at some point OP. Thieves are everywhere unfortunately

[garyk]

Changed my mind…

[dtwer]

Originally Posted by Rafabond

In Barcelona there is a lot of illegal immigration and a lot of blame for what is happening is due to the mayor of the city, she is a communist who defends the criminal, let's hope that in the next elections the communists of Barcelona and part of the government of Spain will disappear.

That is really sad. Hope your voters learn from the lesson and correct course.

[inadeje]

Sorry to hear that OP. The notorious hot-spot for thieves is usually La Rambla, the port used to be well policed and pretty safe. Obviously not anymore…

One poster hit the nail on the head. The mayor of Barcelona and to a certain extent the whole region is left leaning and as such a cesspool of delinquency. One saving grace is that the city depends heavily on tourism, including the cruise industry. Once enough stories like yours do the rounds they’ll get hit economically and then we will see change.

Such a shame and I hope that you were insured

[Cigars&Watches]

Sorry to hear this but thanks for sharing.

[shaunylw]

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

Absolutely matters.


Mickey

These guys are probably so good they wouldn’t need one. They come up front behind pop the clasp and yank it off before you can react. I’ve seen YouTube videos, it’s wild.

[214270Explorer]

All that really matters is that you were not harmed.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by Ensign

I’m in LA, and from news reports it seems thieves target guys who are “showy.” Rolling up in a luxury car, dressed to the 9s - they know you got something of value be it a Rolex, cash, jewelry, etc. Your wife/gf likely will have a luxury bag.

That’s exactly what my son told me after realizing I was wearing the Daytona and we were near his house in the Valley not near BH. We were in my sons Toyota, my wife doesn’t care for brand name or flashy designer bags and otherwise we probably didn’t stand out too much. I brought the watch for the purpose of delivering it personally to RSC. I wore a Seiko the rest of the time.

[the dark knight]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

I imagine so. I’m just wondering how they typically do it, as I may be able to better prevent it happening to myself if I have a good idea of their strategy.

Definitely feel very sorry for the OP; that’s heartbreaking.


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There are videos on YouTube of former cons and/or magicians showing how to get a watch off someone's wrist. It's scarily easy to those that know what they are doing. Usually involves creating some kind of distraction in a crowded area. Someone bumps into your shoulder on the opposite side, so your attention goes there, meanwhile the accomplice gets the watch off your wrist on the other side. Mere seconds.

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by Rafabond

In Barcelona there is a lot of illegal immigration and a lot of blame for what is happening is due to the mayor of the city, she is a communist who defends the criminal, let's hope that in the next elections the communists of Barcelona and part of the government of Spain will disappear.

[77T]

Welcome to TRF. I see you’ve already had the Police Report filed.

The next step that will help you is a phone call on Monday to the Rolex Service Center that handles your country. They take your initial information over the phone and will want you to send a copy of the police report.

I hope you will get the watch back - I’ve been able to recover 2 of the 4 stolen in a home burglary. So I know it can happen.

If it is presented at the RSC in the future, they will seize it as long as you’ve put on their global registry beforehand.


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[Dougiebaby]

Originally Posted by Rafabond

In Barcelona there is a lot of illegal immigration and a lot of blame for what is happening is due to the mayor of the city, she is a communist who defends the criminal, let's hope that in the next elections the communists of Barcelona and part of the government of Spain will disappear.

Look at the sign above my shoulder in Barcelona — “refugees welcome”




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[ndrs63]

Originally Posted by garyk

Changed my mind…

Whatever your original thought was, happy that you now have a different perspective


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[joli160]

Sorry to hear this OP. Terrible experience.

[VK1984]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

I imagine so. I’m just wondering how they typically do it, as I may be able to better prevent it happening to myself if I have a good idea of their strategy.

Definitely feel very sorry for the OP; that’s heartbreaking.


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Sorry to hear OP.

I assume there are a lot of methods to get it off your wrist and these guys are well versed in the different clasps etc.

My Experience:

I was in Barcelona a few years ago on a stag do and was walking along at the end of the night after a few too many drinks. At the time I was wearing just a Hugo Boss watch on a leather strap with a normal pin buckle. Smiley guy says something like “enjoying Barcelona?” and raises his hand to to high-five me…. Being pretty merry I oblige and then just feel the pin buckle getting loose. I quickly pulled my wrist away and went off another way. Had he been better at his craft… or had I been wearing a more expensive watch things could have turned out much worse.

Keep your wits about you in either case. However it sounds like OP literally had no say in the matter. Scary stuff

[Crizanagi]

I'm very sorry that this happened to you. Hoping you get the watch back.

[28mm]

I'd like a fake Rolex that is a remote control bomb for this occasion.

[WalterE]

Unfortunately, luxury watches are highly profitable, easy to steal and easy to move.

For years there have been organised gangs specialised in this type of thefts in Barcelona, which is one of the main touristic hotspots in Europe. It's not complicated to understand why specialising in this type of theft here is so attractive for them: A great concentration of high affluent tourists (specially in the summer and during the cruise season) in summer clothing who often wear watches that can be moved easily and turned for a lot of cash quickly in other countries. Watches do not remain in Spain, they are quickly channeled through the gang's network outside of the country, often to areas where regulations and police control are less stringent.

Organised criminal gangs specialised in this type of theft and having their base in Barcelona used to be Italian and Romanian. They specialised in a grab and pull technique that makes bracelets pop, making it very easy and fast for them to remove a watch from the wrist and run (usually escaping on a motorbike or car waiting for them nearby). There are many scary videos on YouTube (with footage from security cameras) that show them in action.

Increased police awareness and attention in Barcelona against them has led to new emerging ones, far more violent and mobile, made up of immigrants from Northern Africa. These new gangs still use Barcelona as a base, but move along the entire coast line, hitting the most affluent touristic areas. Even if local police tries to investigate, by that time they have moved on and are no longer there. Spanish authorities have set up a new unit in Malaga (another major touristic capital in the South of the country) with authority across different regions (equivalent to US Federal States) to centralise investigation and action against these gangs which operate across Spain's main touristic destinations.

For more info, see a translated recent article describing the situation here.

Often it is so quick that victims have no time to react. And those who confront them risk being beaten up (or stabbed) badly by the "buddies" who are waiting in the vicinity.

As it has been suggested, I'm afraid the best option (if not the only one): insurance.

[ninjin]

Originally Posted by pug208

Sorry to hear what happened to you.
It is unfortunate that we cannot enjoy what we like in public nowadays.
When most people think Hong Kong is a safe place compared to Barcelona, recently I read someone was mugged. That was a Rolex rose gold GMT Master II 126715CHNR.
For criminals expensive mobile phones used to be "cash" on the street, until technology caught up to allow phone locked, location reporting etc.,
Unfortunately there isn't much we can do with watches. I read somewhere there is now a database for people to look up stolen watches before making a purchase. That might be the way to go.

Hong Kong to me, is the only place I feel totally safe wearing a Rolex. The only thefts I have heard about are robbers who organise a trade with a seller and then turn up and snatch. I would be interested to hear about this Rootbeer theft, rather than just your hearsay. I have not come accross any opportunistic Rolex theft news in HK.

Barcelona is a watch crime shit hole. When I went before lockdown, I took an under the radar Omega SMP300 on rubber strap. Although so many said it was safe; "I wouldn't go if I wouldn't feel safe wearing my Rolex" or " have insurance cover" etc etc, the same people who ask if the robber had a weapon... Life is too short to get physically harmed over a watch. Blend in and enjoy your holiday.

OP, I hope your health is ok. It's just a watch, health you can't buy. See it as paying for a lesson.

[Moondoggy]

Ibtl. Fun so far.

[jambos51]

Really sorry OP this has happened . There are gangs who have spotters in lots of locations in Spain where there are tourists or wealthy expats. I have lived here for 20 years .These gangs are normally eastern european / russian , South American or if Spanish more gypsy origin. Its a real shame as a watch wearer / enthusiast can't relax whilst out in public . Stories every single week of bad robberies. It's the price we pay for having a popular, easy to sell , high value watch on our wrist . My advice, be sensible and cover up if needing to wear or leave at home . It's is a great country btw just be very vigilant with high value watches .

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[WalterE]

Originally Posted by ninjin

Barcelona is a watch crime shit hole. When I went before lockdown, I took an under the radar Omega SMP300 on rubber strap. Although so many said it was safe; "I wouldn't go if I wouldn't feel safe wearing my Rolex" or " have insurance cover" etc etc, the same people who ask if the robber had a weapon... Life is too short to get physically harmed over a watch. Blend in and enjoy your holiday.

Fully agree. Not flashing a luxury commodity on a wrist, but wearing a mainstream or low profile non-luxury watch is the absolute best. If you need to wear (one of) your Rolex no matter what, come hell or high water, then insurance, praying you are not noticed, and if so definitively not risking your life.

[Henrimontgomery]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don’t wear anything of value when I travel.

[SS Oyster]

If this place is so well known for watch theft, and assuming the Spanish want to keep their tourists unafraid, then why don’t the police set up stings where they wear decent fakes as bait and when the criminal strikes, they catch and punish them. It wouldn’t rage too many of those arrests for the word to get out “no more stealing here!”


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[WalterE]

Originally Posted by Henrimontgomery

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don’t wear anything of value when I travel.

+1 Wise man...