Stolen watch data, how people keep their watches safe, and more

Reported stolen watch stats are based on the Alpha Hands stolen watch registry, which contains over 10k pieces, watch safekeeping info from surveys on IG and forums, and a bit of other info from the DoJ.

Buy safe
Stay safe
Keep your watches safe

oh, caveats on the data at bottom.

Top manufacturers
Rolex: 31%
Breguet: 14%
Breitling: 4%
TAG Heuer: 4%

Top locations
United States: 88%
UK: 5%
Netherlands: 2%
Italy: 1%

Where watches are kept
Bank safe deposit box: 50%
Hidden/sock drawer: 30%
Heavy home safe/TL-15+: 13%
Lightweight home safe: 7%

How watches are insured
Individually insured/personal articles: 44%
None/you live dangerously: 39%
Renters/homeowners: 11%
Blanket policy: 6%

For watches stolen while out of the house (*very few responses to date)
Violent theft or threat of: 40%
Non-violent/grab-and-run: 30%
Didn’t know until later/pickpocket: 30%

Other information
When reading data 'property crime/theft’ (larceny) generally indicates there is no force or threat of force. ‘Robbery’ includes the use or threat of force. ‘Burglaries’ refer to entering a building with intent to commit a crime.
For the United States [1]
- Seasonal patterns do exist for burglaries; lowest burglary rates are in winter, followed by spring and then fall
- Robbery rates do not have seasonal variations

I will continue to aggregate more information, particularly:
- Breakdown of theft/robbery circumstances (in shipping, from home (and if in safe/type if so), while traveling, violent/non-violent, etc.). For those that have inquired, I have not been able to find statistics on the times when a thief is in a home and violence/threat is used to have the homeowner open a safe
- Locations
- If any other questions, let me know!

Caveats
Data are *wildly* dependent on a number of factors, including the sources from which I’ve aggregated (manufacturer, location, language...), the subset/demographics of individuals reporting, value of watch, pieces of information reported, etc. As an example, to date I have had much more success in the United States obtaining data from different sources, which is seen the SKU location mix. Hopefully I can get this to normalize over time.

Statistics on manufacturer/location are on are based upon quantity of watches (not total value or the number of thefts/robberies, in the case when more than one watch was stolen in an event). Survey responses have low response rates and are not particularly meaningful.

[1] https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/spcvt.pdf

Hmmmmm..... burglary generally involves a theft from an occupied structure, or a structure that could be occupied(such as a house). Breaking and entering usually involves a detached building or business. Use of a weapon or force against a person invites a whole host of additional charges.

@Widows Son - correct, burglary generally involves theft (which does not involve force or threat of), though not required. It doesn't involve entering a structure with intent to commit a crime (it need not be occupied, however).
Robbery is much more serious, involving taking property with force of threat of force.

Stay safe, everyone-

Interesting information and data about watches theft.

One more interesting nugget...
Of stolen watches reports captured by one law enforcement agency, only 6% (!) of pieces reported stolen had a known serial number.

Make sure you have a record of your serial numbers! 👍

Keeping an online / offsite inventory including photographs & serial numbers of your valuables is key. You should also keep a set of scans of all your important documents- birth records, passports, insurance, mortgages, etc.

As if criminals weren’t enough of a problem, fires and floods are equally devastating.

I’m amazed at the sock drawer plan... it’s very commonly used for watches, jewelery and firearms - and equally stupid for each.

Anyone who can spend a few grand on a timepiece should seriously consider a real safe. Not a “Residential Security Container”, a safe. Minimum TL-15 / European Grade 1.

Another fun fact...
For a major U.S. metro over a 14 year period with serial numbers:
Theft (outside home): 57%
Home burglaries: 25%
Burglary from vehicle: 7%
Robbery: 2%

Interesting story came out today. Randy Bachman’s (Guess Who) guitar was stolen in Toronto 45 years ago, never to be seen again, until…a fan used facial recognition tech to look for the distinctive wood grain on his guitar. And not long afterwards, they found it, in Tokyo. I wonder if this would work for some watches?

https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/...n-toronto-he-just-found-it-in-tokyo-1.5614775

A safe hooked up to the mains, if tampered with will fry the perpetrator.

Now you've made it pubic it would be an in convenience to store watches there. We await your suggestions on watch cleaning with baited anticipation.

That's funny. 😀

I keep mine in a real safe (not a "security container") which is bolted to the floor and to the exterior wall. It isn't going anywhere.

Good idea! I imagine some might think my collection downright belongs in a safe like that.

I think about this often. I've heard bad stories about safe deposit boxes at banks, though. What method do you recommend? I currently employ the method of scattering around the house in obscure locations.