Rolex Theft by Home Break-in

[brandrea]

Paul, I’m truly so happy for you, awesome news

With all the recent (it seems) thread bumps lately, I admit to skipping over yours just thinking it was irrelevant. It was only when I saw your user name come up on the main page that I decided to open it an see what’s going on.

Honestly, if I were you I think I would’ve hit the floor when you received that call at Costco

I can’t wait to see the Daytona back on your wrist

Last, have you given any thought to the feeling you might have when you finally get your watch back? It’s lived an interesting few years off your wrist…

Good luck on the rest of the recovery effort.

[77T]

Originally Posted by mailman

Great news Paul. This makes me happy for you

Originally Posted by padi56

Very good news on the watch front.

Thank you guys
I appreciate your work keeping this community on the right path. It is because of that work my thread came up when Matt at Triple Six googled my Platona’s s/n

Originally Posted by PanosI

Simply WOW !!!

What a story. Congratulations on the recovery of the 2 watches and wishing you to recover the remaining 2 soon!

Thanks and I do hope I can do that.

Originally Posted by Ollie1982

Amazing news, I am so happy you've managed to have your wonderful watch returned. Such an awful story, must have been very difficult at the time and you took it so well, and helped alert others by pointing out errors you'd made.

Hopefully the pregnant women managed to turn here life around.

Thanks and it has changed my security profile here at home. Not saying there’s a perfect answer for everyone but a large safe and some replacement “personal protection” we’re my first purchases afterward.

And I also join you in hoping the expectant mother has found a path to an honorable life for herself and her 2 kids. Had she surrendered when the lead burglar was captured she might have had an easier time with the judge.

Originally Posted by hambone1983

I am amazed not only at your persistence but also by your having the emotional reservoir not to give up and just mentally write this off as a total loss.

I also am heartened by the assistance of strangers that pitched in along the way. Great testament to what humans can be when they happen to cross a comrade in need. Here's to further recoveries for you and others with similar stories.

That is part of the amazing side of this episode. People I never met across the pond helping “beyond the call”, TRF’ers who advised me and offered assistance, all the officials who helped…

And late last night my friend who couriered the watch back to US texted to say that Customs took a look at my paperwork (and I think his Global Entry status helped!). Hope to meet him near his WDC home soon.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by antbkny

Love hearing the good news!

I hope it can give the same feeling for some folks who have also lost a watch to crime. And that Rolex’s move to knit together their databases will help find more stolen watches that travel across the globe.

Originally Posted by brandrea

Paul, I’m truly so happy for you, awesome news



With all the recent (it seems) thread bumps lately, I admit to skipping over yours just thinking it was irrelevant. It was only when I saw your user name come up on the main page that I decided to open it an see what’s going on.



Honestly, if I were you I think I would’ve hit the floor when you received that call at Costco



I can’t wait to see the Daytona back on your wrist



Last, have you given any thought to the feeling you might have when you finally get your watch back? It’s lived an interesting few years off your wrist…



Good luck on the rest of the recovery effort.

Thanks much. Yeah that feeling might be a long lost puppy that shows up at home after a long time.

“Where have you been my blue-eyed son?” also comes to mind…that opening lyric has some meaning.

To think that I only had the Platona for less than 100 days before the burglary, the second line and some other verses are apt:

“Oh, where have you been, my darling young one?
I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I’ve walked and I’ve crawled on six crooked highways
I’ve stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I’ve been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard”

New meaning and different emotion now that it’s back.


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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by 77T

I hope it can give the same feeling for some folks who have also lost a watch to crime. And that Rolex’s move to knit together their databases will help find more stolen watches that travel across the globe.




Thanks much. Yeah that feeling might be a long lost puppy that shows up at home after a long time.

“Where have you been my blue-eyed son?” also comes to mind…that opening lyric has some meaning.

To think that I only had the Platona for less than 100 days before the burglary, the second line and some other verses are apr:

“Oh, where have you been, my darling young one?
I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I’ve walked and I’ve crawled on six crooked highways
I’ve stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I’ve been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard”

New meaning and different emotion now that it’s back.


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Subscribed and can’t wait for the “incoming” Paul

[nachopc]

Amazing story! Congratulations
No words …..


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[IamJacky]

What an incredible story. I read through the bulk of this entire thread and I truly admire the way you handled this whole situation and your positive and resilient attitude, also it's just so wonderful to know that many people helped and made these recovery possible. Truly happy for you and definitely hope you get the other two watches back!

[Spectre38]

Paul, your story adds quite a chapter to the history of your Platona. I am so glad that it was recovered. Your attitude and patience through the whole ordeal appears to have been exemplary. Congratulations!

Keep up the fight for the other two.

[chancm]

Glad to hear that one more watch is retrieved. Thank you for sharing the story

[Rolexforthewin]

Wow! I came back to the thread today to be totally surprised to see that you've been able to recover some of your watches. I'm so happy for you!

[Finslayer83]

fantastic news

[77T]

Originally Posted by IamJacky

What an incredible story. I read through the bulk of this entire thread and I truly admire the way you handled this whole situation and your positive and resilient attitude, also it's just so wonderful to know that many people helped and made these recovery possible. Truly happy for you and definitely hope you get the other two watches back!

I share your feelings about all the folks who helped me throughout. I know it’s a long story - I pondered whether bumping this thread was better than a new one but settled on letting it ride for any benefit that may have for newer members.

Appreciate your kind words.

Originally Posted by Spectre38

Paul, your story adds quite a chapter to the history of your Platona. I am so glad that it was recovered. Your attitude and patience through the whole ordeal appears to have been exemplary. Congratulations!



Keep up the fight for the other two.

Yes, this is like Homer’s Odyssey in blank verse.
Thanks!

Originally Posted by nachopc

Amazing story! Congratulations
No words …..

Blessed (in a word) thanks.

Originally Posted by chancm

Glad to hear that one more watch is retrieved. Thank you for sharing the story

Appreciate that.


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[Director EDTF]

Great News Paul!!

[77T]

Originally Posted by Director EDTF

Great News Paul!!

Thanks Nelson. Your profile silhouette is fitting…Sherlock was working overtime in Kings Hill, UK.

At times - especially when fumbling with shipping, CBP import forms and 3rd party insurance - I distinctly felt like Watson… Wading through regulations about repatriating evidence for free entry was an evening worth 3 cups of coffee.

But both Aamir (SohAIS) and Than (Takuya) gave me good advice from their own experience. Also, Than even found a broker who could help on the far end just in case I couldn’t find a safer way to repatriate the watch. Those two members & trusted sellers were most charitable with their time. I have purchased pieces from each of them and they are Top 10 TRF guys to buy from…

By the way, if this helps anyone, I did learn a shipping top tip from an associate of Matt’s in UK. Passing it along if it benefits anyone.

Recent security and risk management issues affected how much I could insure in a single international package with Parcel Pro. The full market value for a Platona is in the $100K range.

That level of coverage would have required armored express service at both ends with FedEx in the middle. Very costly.

The tip is to remove the bracelet, declare it and insure it for replacement value in one package. Then do the same for the head. This can bring each package into range for normal express shipping. It might also reduce the total import duty. FedEx even has a watch shipping form that allows you to declare those parts individually.

Of course, my friend coincidentally being in London made that unnecessary.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by Rolexforthewin

Wow! I came back to the thread today to be totally surprised to see that you've been able to recover some of your watches. I'm so happy for you!

A big Wow! for me too. I’ve tried to reduce this lengthy chapter down to a haiku but not easy to do…. The short story?

Amazing Celestial Convergence,
And starcrossed Karma.

Everything has beauty,
but not everyone sees it.

Unwitting buyer wished for Diamond Dial,
Submitted to Rolex - the rest is Epic.


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[GolfJunkie]

So happy for you, Paul. Excited for you to be reunited with your Platinum Daytona.

I remember reading this thread early on when I joined this forum. Makes me happy that there are so many good people in the watch community willing to help each other. Hope you can recover the other 2 watches soon

[Tanvo]

Great news!

[jb335]

I am so happy for you Paul!

[77T]

Originally Posted by GolfJunkie

So happy for you, Paul. Excited for you to be reunited with your Platinum Daytona.

I remember reading this thread early on when I joined this forum. Makes me happy that there are so many good people in the watch community willing to help each other. Hope you can recover the other 2 watches soon

Thank you and the importance of the community can’t be underestimated.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by jb335

I am so happy for you Paul!

Originally Posted by Tanvo

Great news!

Much appreciated - thanks.


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[Clockwork24]

Sorry about that

[Xerxes77]

After start this madness with Rolex hype… we read thread like this or more agressive
Crazy times….
Yes my friends this times make harder and harder to can wear our watches…. Because now we hear about “Rolexgang” who are hanting people who wear Rolex…..
Sorry to hear that

[Wahlberg]

Good news!

I assume the condition of the watch is rather good since it was sold by a (grey) dealer. Likely it will only need a service.

How does this work though. Did your insurance pay you back and/or is it still your property? Since the value went up so much, it's a good thing to own (again).

[BLNR Nairobi]

While inauthentic timepieces will remain an issue for the gray market, increasingly stolen timepieces will be a similarly big issue. Problem is that it’s easy for ‘trusted sellers’ to determine inauthentic products. Any TS worth their salt can identify such.

Not as easy to determine stolen products, and with the rise of popularity of certain brands (and a corresponding increase in theft of such brands) it’s very possible that a number of people here have ticking timebombs on their wrist.

Ticking towards that inevitable trip to the RSC when the watch is held.

Not sure what the way around that issue is. I’ve been lucky to get what I want from the AD, but with it becoming increasingly difficult to buy from the source I think there will be a number of people - even here on TRF - who will buy stolen goods without knowing and only find out years in the future.

Again, while inauthentic products have been seen as a key problem I think stolen products will be the real key issue. Especially considering inauthentic products, even really good-looking inauthentic products, can be filtered by professional TS …but stolen products cannot.

Caveat emptor.

[t60]

Originally Posted by Clockwork24

Sorry about that

Funny, I've seen a few posts like this in the past day and people just don't look at recent updates I guess.

Happy you're getting some watches back, OP.

[carbon888]

It's hard to go through 19 pages in this thread. Can someone point me to the post where I can get a sense of what happened afterwards?

[77T]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

Good news!

I assume the condition of the watch is rather good since it was sold by a (grey) dealer. Likely it will only need a service.

How does this work though. Did your insurance pay you back and/or is it still your property? Since the value went up so much, it's a good thing to own (again).

Yes it should be in fine condition. I just like to have a full RSC overhaul as it clears my mind about any funkiness. I know that sounds crazy…something like a “born again baptism” at the font of all Rolex pure essence.

This Platona, and the other 2 that are still out there were self-insured. No issues there.

Originally Posted by Xerxes77

After start this madness with Rolex hype… we read thread like this or more agressive

Crazy times….

Yes my friends this times make harder and harder to can wear our watches…. Because now we hear about “Rolexgang” who are hanting people who wear Rolex…..

Sorry to hear that

Thanks, I think you saw it was not a street crime - although I do understand what you mean about being aware of your surroundings while on the town with your Rolex.

This update is more celebratory because I recovered the missing Platona.

Originally Posted by Clockwork24

Sorry about that

Appreciate the sentiment - things are better and better every new day on the Oxygen habit.

Blessed that this one has found its way homeward.

Originally Posted by t60

Funny, I've seen a few posts like this in the past day and people just don't look at recent updates I guess.



Happy you're getting some watches back, OP.

Thanks and it’s a long story so it’s understandable…

Originally Posted by BLNR Nairobi

While inauthentic timepieces will remain an issue for the gray market, increasingly stolen timepieces will be a similarly big issue. Problem is that it’s easy for ‘trusted sellers’ to determine inauthentic products. Any TS worth their salt can identify such.

Not as easy to determine stolen products, and with the rise of popularity of certain brands (and a corresponding increase in theft of such brands) it’s very possible that a number of people here have ticking timebombs on their wrist.

Ticking towards that inevitable trip to the RSC when the watch is held.

Not sure what the way around that issue is. I’ve been lucky to get what I want from the AD, but with it becoming increasingly difficult to buy from the source I think there will be a number of people - even here on TRF - who will buy stolen goods without knowing and only find out years in the future.

Again, while inauthentic products have been seen as a key problem I think stolen products will be the real key issue. Especially considering inauthentic products, even really good-looking inauthentic products, can be filtered by professional TS …but stolen products cannot.

Caveat emptor.

An interesting thought - I guess that debate would be best to have in a different thread.

It’s true stolen watches are a problem though. We won’t solve that easily.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by carbon888

It's hard to go through 19 pages in this thread. Can someone point me to the post where I can get a sense of what happened afterwards?

Sorry…

#460 is latest update


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[Andad]

Good work Paul.

I'm looking forward to seeing the wrist pix.

Hope you have the same success with the other two watches.

E.

[Norbert]

Awesome! Too bad RolexUK didn't do a full service first!

[ndrs63]

Originally Posted by 2th_doc

Sorry to hear man. I had my apartment broken into years ago. I felt totally violated so I somewhat know how you feel. But aside from that and the possible sentimental value of the Rolexes that were taken insurance will somewhat save the day. Especially on that Platona. Insurance retail replacement is 75k. Purchase it from a grey dealer and pocket 25k. And you can use that 25k to purchase a new WG Daytona on Oysterflex. Again I am sorry for the loss and how I know it has left you feeling. But in bad times always try to look on the bright side. Hope things get better.


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Are you sure you can pocket in the difference. Apparently, JM will not give you the money directly, but rather work with your preferred jeweler to buy an exact replacement


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