Evening all.

In irritating news, my father in law had the Patek Phillipe Calatrava 5127R-001 that he was bought as a 30th wedding anniversary present 10 years ago, expertly snatched from his wrist this morning, close to Estepona on the southern coast of Spain.

We don't have any pictures of his watch unfortunately, but it looks like the one below... although perhaps rather more worn!



If anyone is offered this watch, with serials 5577124/4525402 please get in touch.

Its theft has been registered with the Spanish police, and is now logged on the Patek database as stolen... would be lovely to get the watch back if possible

 

That’s a shame. I hope it turns up.

 

That's a shame, best of luck eventually getting it back sometime in the future although history shows the chances are slim.

 

The local police seem to know who the person or people are who stole it - FIL identified them from some photographs... and very frankly, the Spanish police don't seem to mess around... so who knows what happens next?

In London, I'd expect this to disappear into the ether... in a fairly small Spanish costal community... maybe not?

Fingers crossed.

 

I hope you get it back! If so, it's now imbued with an extra story and the lore surrounding the watch only grows!

 

Fingers crossed mate!

 

I'm glad that no one got hurt. I hope this is resolved soon. I wonder if Patek's database and Ebay's talk to each other, I understand that watches above a certain price must now be authenticated and inspected in person.

This may be a topic for the next Time4APint!

 

The authentication is being used in the US market and according to this recent thread, the authenticators don’t check stolen databases. They just verify the watch as real vs fake.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/stolen-watch-authenticated-by-ebay.121228/

To the OP, I really hope this gets returned!

 

Best of luck. Hope he gets it back

 

Hope he gets it back Chris


Can you elaborate on “ expertly snatched from his wrist “

 

Yes, please. I have always been curious how this happens. Is the band cut? Is the buckle undone in a jostle and the watch slipped off without the wearer knowing or is it just a case of yanking it off quickly so that something breaks and the thief runs off?

 

Their are various YouTube videos showing how a skilled manipulator can remove a watch from a wrist without the victim realizing it until he later checks the time and finds the watch gone. It's not that difficult a skill to master. Magicians do it all the time.

 

That is scary.

 

Sorry to hear this, I hope the thief gets busted and your father in law finds his watch back to him.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-used-thieves-remove-watch-victims-wrist.html

 

I saw a video on YouTube once, of how one thief distracts an older gentleman that is wearing a watch on a leather strap, while the thief’s partner comes from behind, and just yanks the watch off of the older gentleman’s wrist.

It is sad.

 

Furthering my conviction in wearing my straps and bracelets super tight: if someone steals it I'd feel strangely relieved and be immediately alerted to the theft

Hope it gets found OP... I feel like I've heard a lot of watch theft stories the past month or two.

 

If it’s a sentimental piece, I’d put a $5000, no question ask reward to either the local police OR the thief. It’s a small town, words of the reward will travel fast.

This quadruples your chances of finding it—if the thief hasn’t already sold it off. This worked for me in Asia!

 

100% agreed.

My thought was more that if someone get's offered it at some point, and googles it - there's now a post here with the serials, telling them that it's stolen.

In the small community they're in, with the suspects well known to the police though... who knows?

I shan't be holding my breath.

 

Worrying that something like that has happened. I hope it is found.