Criminality - People are ripping off luxury watches in the middle of Munich
In the middle of the day, thieves tear luxurious watches from their victims' wrists in public: Such robbery cases have increased in Munich. The police have arrested four suspects in a recent case, who are currently in custody. The watches are reportedly in high demand among collectors and worth thousands of Euros, sometimes even significantly more.
This year, the police in the state capital have recorded six such cases, as they announced at a press conference. Recently, there have been three such robbery cases within a short period. The perpetrators acted professionally and in groups.
Last week, according to reports, two perpetrators on a motorcycle in the city center stole a luxury watch from a 54-year-old Cabriolet driver while he was parking. The police arrested the suspected perpetrators, who were 32, 39, and 41 years old, during their escape in a rented car.
The stolen watch was thrown out of the car, according to the police, during their escape over the Brudermühlbrücke. Witness statements at the police station significantly contributed to the investigation's success, a police officer said. The watch of the 54-year-old was found at the riverbank.
The police secured another luxury watch in the getaway car. Whether there is a connection to further crimes is being investigated by the police. The four suspects are currently in custody.
There were also two further such robbery cases of this type in mid-July. In one case, the watch was reportedly worth around 200,000 Euros according to earlier reports. Whether there is a connection to the suspects is still being investigated by the police.
Originally, the phenomenon of such robbery cases comes from Southern Italy, said an investigator. Munich has had the first cases of this type in 2021.
The robbery incidents in Munich involve luxury watches from well-known brands, often from the Upper Bavaria region.The criminals target high-end wristwatches, such as automatic luxury timepieces, in their robberies.These professional groups of robbers have expanded their operations to Bavaria, specifically targeting Munich, due to its reputation for wealth and luxury.Despite the increased number of robbery cases this year, the police are actively investigating each case, with recent arrests in multiple incidents.The stolen luxury watches are not only highly valued on the black market but also among collectors, justifying the elaborate planning and execution of these crimes.
