Like most, I have many questions. My assumption is that this is a very sensitive thing for @abrod520 . His private home was violated, his valuable collection stolen. He must be feeling a horrible slew of mixed emotions.

Horrified that it happened.

Upset that he didn't prevent somehow (no matter how much it isn't his 'fault', humans tend to self-blame).

Scared to think who may have taken advantage of inside knowledge.

He has already put out a lot of specific knowledge on the actual watches that were taken. This is the most pertinent information us as a watch community because it's the only thing where we might in some way help to recover them. All questions surrounding the details of what, how, who, when, why, where might appease our curiosity but if we knew everything he knows, it doesn't mean we are in any better position to help.

If my personal residence was robbed, I would be very careful not to share too much information with the broad community. Trust with outsiders would be shattered enough already...

 

Very sorry to hear about the theft of those beautiful watches, and hope you get restitution. As others have said, this has the appearance of a targeted inside job by someone with knowledge, even down to stealing socks to almost certainly conceal and protect the watches in transit. Definitely pressure your building management for access to the building's CCTV footage. If building management claim they don't have footage due to the security upgrade I'd pursue them harder via a lawyer. Their refusal might be interpreted as a sign they have something to hide. Also ask neighbouring buildings. Any footage showing someone wearing what looks like your clothes, particularly the Yankees caps which they might have stolen to try to conceal their faces, is more ammo for the local cops to work with, and you might just shame them into action by doing their job for them.

 

Here are some questions that may have been answered before (forgive me for not reading every post). However, this may help to narrow things down. You shouldn't answer these publicly. Just keep them in mind as you conduct your investigation:

1. List of people who know you have valuable watches at home.
2. List of people who have access to your apartment. Any common names from 1 & 2?
3. List of people performing work in the building at the time of the robbery.
4. Have you brought any new or sketchy friends over lately?
5. Have you had any parties or get togethers lately? Guest list?
6. Are you missing any spare apartment keys?
7. Any neighbors on your floor with video cams on their doors?
8. Is there surveillance video in the elevators, hallways, stairs, exits?
9. Do adjoining buildings or businesses have surveillance cameras that capture your building entrance?
10. Has building management provided your key to anyone recently for any reason?
11. Have any other apartments in your building been robbed recently? If so, what was taken?
12. Could you have left your door unlocked?
13. Did you keep the watches in a place where someone randomly rifling through your things could have found them? If not, who knew where they were kept?

These are the types of things you should be pursuing in order to rule things in or out. Most of the things on the list can easily be determined by you doing some investigation on your own. Good luck.

 

Yep. Robbers in these situations rarely walk out with large items. They are looking for jewelry and things that can be stashed in their pockets that will not draw attention to them. It is not unusual to leave larger items behind because they are not easy to conceal, and because things like laptops, iPads, video games, etc., do not have great resale value and often have passwords that make them useless.

Just because a fine watch collection was targeted does not mean that the thief is a watch lover. The chances are very high that this was some kid looking for a quick score. The chances are equally as high that he has already unloaded the watches for pennies on the dollar to an unreputable pawn shop. A few of these watches may surface some day, but my prediction is that if the guy who buys them from the thief knows what he is doing the watches are already heading to South America for sale there.

 

The watches were taken inside the display case and carry case I keep them in, so the socks wouldn't have been used for loose watches. Maybe packing, but it's hard to understand in any case.

 

maybe an attempt to give the appearance that it wasn't a targeted theft?
In any case I'm sorry about the whole ordeal...I hope the bastards are caught.

 

What a nightmare!

You have some very recognizable watches in there. I'm going to keep my eye out for these on online auction sites.

 

The questions were rhetorical…( I was not expecting an answer )

No one would wish to intrude, on personal grief

As a community, we can only rally round, support, and maintain a vigil…they will resurface

 

Chances are that he left with the display case to get out of there quickly but I doubt that he carried it around with him for long unless he had a vehicle waiting for him close by. If he was a walker, he may have dumped the case nearby. Hence the suggestion that you look for exterior surveillance cameras that may have captured his exit from the building. Look next door, across the street, and in nearby businesses with direct line to your building. These cameras often capture a wide angle and may offer you some leads.

PS - Some places, businesses in particular, may be hesitant to offer you their videos without a subpoena. This is where your people skills come in. If you can establish that their surveillance video was operating on the day of the robbery try to talk them into letting you see it. If they don't at least you can report to the police that there may be a lead to follow.

 

While unlikely, keep an eye on Craigslist. With any luck the thief(s) are inept and may try and off-load there. I saw an article some time ago where someone recovered stolen property after seeing listed and subsequently meeting the guy. While doubtful, it’s another avenue.

 

Terrible. Makes me feel sick for you. Hopeful that you get them back.

 

Great advice. You’ve come a long way since Slippin’ Jimmy.

 

Not sure why anyone would buy a relatively new piece without the right box or papers as this would definatley raise suspicion in my book! Good luck in your quest to find your treasures. Hopefully the person got hit by a truck on leaving your apartment and your items will be returned soon

 

I still pull a Chicago sunroof from time to time if someone ticks me off. You can take the boy out of Cicero, but...

 

You never know. Police and prosecutors often rely on the stupidity of criminals who make mistakes that get them caught. Not everybody is Danny Ocean. I read on one of these forums a while back that a guy who stole a Speedmaster was caught when he went into a jewelry store to have the battery changed because his watch "wasn't working" and the store owner realized what was going on and called the police. Crooks are usually morons.

 

Chuck was always a bit high strung for his own good.

 

I did walk the property and around the block afterwards to see if the boxes were dumped or trashed, but I think those that were taken were taken on purpose. The Seamaster 300 Trilogy box looks nice, and the Apollo XI 50th box has the gold-colored statuette. Though I would have thought the Ultraman box would have been taken too, but instead its contents were just dumped out on my living room floor.

I also don't know who would buy limited-edition watches without their boxes or papers but you never know. I figure wherever they go will likely not be to someone who knows about these things, or simply doesn't value them.

 

Everything you are saying points to someone who does not know watches. That may actually be good for the potential of having some of these turn up somewhere. Someone who knows watches would know about the value of boxes and papers, but they would also know about serial numbers and traceability which would make them more cautious about where they offered the collection for sale. A random thief is simply after money and will try to turn the watches around as quickly as possible.

 

Talking about which: could this be taken up with the board that manages that building? Surely other residents should worry if things like this happen in their building? If that board also filed a complaint perhaps they could also finance an investigation? Maybe the building should be held accountable?