Stolen watches recovered in the UK

[The Joker]

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, but Scotland Yard has recovered lots of stolen watches and set up a flickr page in case anyone recognises the watches. Report from the BBC website below and link to flickr.


Former Arsenal footballer Lauren is to be reunited with his Rolex Daytona watch, which was stolen from him in 2005. In July, the Metropolitan Police (Met) Crime Squad executed search warrants at addresses in Essex and east London. More than 400 items were recovered, including high value jewellery, antiques, silverware and watches, worth a total of more than £500,000.

The footballer's watch was among the items found. Scotland Yard will return the watch to the 34-year-old on Monday morning. Police believe the watches recovered were stolen during armed robberies on jewellers, household burglaries and thefts across south-east England between 1994 and 2010. Many of the wrist and pocket watches found are highly collectable.

Police discovered one of the watches, which belonged to the retired Premier League player, when enquiries with Rolex revealed information about how his watch was stolen. With the help of Arsenal FC, officers were able to trace the former player in order to reunite him with his property. Det Sgt Richard George, of the Tower Hamlets Crime Squad, said: "We are delighted to be able to reunite Lauren with his watch.

"We are utilising every tool available to us to identify as many victims as possible."

The Met has set up an online Flickr page to show the watches, in the hope that owners will come forward to identify them.

Flickr Link to stolen watches