Datejust Stolen From Hotel Safe in Amsterdam — Pics

[askdanny]

If the hotel staff has access to the safe and can open it... is it really a safe?

Watch: Two-tone Datejust Serial: W220T162

I'm an airline crew member and my colleague had his two-tone Datejust stolen from a SAFE in his hotel room in Amsterdam.

He believes he was spotted as he walked in the lobby in uniform with his crew. He left the watch in the safe with some cash before going into the city. All was gone when he came back.

He believes it's an inside job.

Corporate security said the the hotel didn't see anyone go down the hall except a flight attendant and the card log says no one entered his room. The hotel is the NH Amsterdam Noord Hotel.

He had bought the watch at an AD and has all the receipt. He reported the watch stolen with his insurance and Rolex USA.

The not-so-friendly lady at Rolex USA told him that due to international law, stolen reports are not shared outside the U.S. when reported with Rolex USA. So unless it is serviced in the U.S., he'll never see it again.

His insurance paid him back the retail price.

When he told me the story, I offered to alert fellow TRF'ers and ask you guys to keep an eye out...

[fly4food84]

Sorry to hear this and odd the hotel didn’t see anyone on the hallway camera.

What insurance company did your colleague have? Seems like that part went smooth at least.


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[brandrea]

I’m sorry to hear this.

At least your friend was made whole through insurance.

[sgt10p]

Contact an AD in Amsterdam and give them the details. The numbers will be on record with the Local Police presumably, so it should be flagged. You may need the Crime Reference number. Also notify Crono24.

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[soldes]

Wonder what is the experience of frequent travelers in this forum, regarding how "safe" are the hotel room safes. Not the first time, that we are made aware of money and property that have been stolen from a "safe" Hotel safe. Additionally, some hotels have a fine print written on their occupational contract, stating that they are not responsible for stolen/lost personal property on their premises.
Are Hotel safes really safe, when there are keys to access them, and more than one person have access to them?.

[piratfisk]

Oof, this is very unfortunate. To be clear: The watch & box (as pictured) were not stolen (why would he/she travel with the green box?), just the watch? The watch was worn into the hotel, taken off & placed with cash into the room safe? Out of more curiosity, why was the watch taken off? (For fear of robbery in Amsterdam?)

[WilsdorfNDavis]

That's a bummers all around, from the watch and money being stolen to his insurance only paying out the retail price.

If you have the opportunity and your watch sells for over msrp, insure your watches for market value, not msrp (retail).

[espanol]

Originally Posted by soldes

Wonder what is the experience of frequent travelers in this forum, regarding how "safe" are the hotel room safes. Not the first time, that we are made aware of money and property that have been stolen from a "safe" Hotel safe. Additionally, some hotels have a fine print written on their occupational contract, stating that they are not responsible for stolen/lost personal property on their premises.
Are Hotel safes really safe, when there are keys to access them, and more than one person have access to them?.

They are not safe at all. Many folks within the hotel (mostly management) do have the equivalent of a master key. This is why I never travel with two watches, even when staying at swanky hotels.

If you do find yourself needing to stash a watch, you're better off taking it with you or hiding it in a very obscure place in your luggage. Hotel safes are not safe, period.

[travisb]

Damn. Sorry to hear but glad he was insured.

[zengineer]

I wouldn't keep anything much more valuable than a pocket comb in one of those little lock boxes.

But I get it, we all don't think it will happen to us. It's strange that nothing showed on the cameras or key logs. That leaves maybe 3 possibilities:

1) security is in on it and lying

2) is the room one with access from an adjacent room. If so, did you verify it was locked from your room before leaving

3) if the lock/latch is sketchy it is likely possible to slip the latch striker without a card swipe.

[Robf52]

Originally Posted by espanol

They are not safe at all. Many folks within the hotel (mostly management) do have the equivalent of a master key. This is why I never travel with two watches, even when staying at swanky hotels.

If you do find yourself needing to stash a watch, you're better off taking it with you or hiding it in a very obscure place in your luggage. Hotel safes are not safe, period.

This.

[Jason Bourne]

At least it was insured and the good news is that its current market value is below retail so he got more than it’s worth.

Can get another DJ from AD, this time with jubilee:)

[996marty]

Sorry to hear this it sounds like an inside job

[kkqd1337]

i am impressed with his insurance!

[ArtNouveau]

Maybe I’m an idiot but I have left spare watches in hotel safes. I know it’s likely that some hotel employees can open it but I also believe that no hotel wants police coming there to create a burglary report.
That said I hope the subject of this thread gets his watch back. And yes my watches are insured too.

[nighthawk77]

Sorry to hear OP. Good to hear your friend was insured and managed to recoup the value of the watch.

I'm always skeptical about hotel safes. If I'm traveling, I usually only take one watch and will wear it at all times.

[WilsdorfNDavis]

126333-0013's are still selling slightly above msrp for a new/unworn watch but aren't overly difficult to get from an AD.

[Rolex1982]

Sorry to hear this. Those boxes are not safe at all. In Amsterdam is more watch related crime with spotters. I would not let my watch out of my sight and would be aware of my surroundings.

[Oldfellow]

Originally Posted by piratfisk

Oof, this is very unfortunate. To be clear: The watch & box (as pictured) were not stolen (why would he/she travel with the green box?), just the watch? The watch was worn into the hotel, taken off & placed with cash into the room safe? Out of more curiosity, why was the watch taken off? (For fear of robbery in Amsterdam?)

Perhaps the box was not there at all, simply they were photos that he had taken in the past.

[piratfisk]

Originally Posted by Oldfellow

Perhaps the box was not there at all, simply they were photos that he had taken in the past.

That's what I suspect; just making sure. Traveling with the green box seems strange.

Not victim-blaming, but why was it taken off & left in the safe in the first place? Worried about theft outside the hotel? Is Amsterdam bad enough that long sleeves wouldn't suffice?

[askdanny]

Originally Posted by fly4food84

Sorry to hear this and odd the hotel didn’t see anyone on the hallway camera.

What insurance company did your colleague have? Seems like that part went smooth at least.

Reply from my colleague to some of your questions/comments:

Insurance: USAA

Yes, hotel “fine print” says they are not responsible for items left in the safe…. Lesson learned too late

The safe master key is “magnetic”, so anyone with knowledge can use a strong magnet to open the safe… again lesson learned too late

My luggage was thoroughly searched… “hiding valuables” is not a good option.

Security was definitely lying and in on it.

No adjacent room, the door lock was secure as well as the room safe. I'm confident that both were accessed by “security personnel”.

We don't travel with box and papers. So, just the watch.

[painexpert]

I would never use a hotel safe, IMHO. Sorry that this happened.

[BillA]

We have traveled to many countries and used the safe all the time with no problem.

Do you know for sure if he/she locked the safe, sometimes we leave them ajar.
Hotel said no entry with a room key or video footage……very strange.