Watch-theft has become a common crime in Stockholm.

This watch, extremely rare and unspeakably expensive, was cleverly grabbed on the afternoon of September 1 in front of the Grand Hotel; in fact, right on the property of the Grand Hotel. The victim was a guest there.

The theft was brazen. The opportunity was created by the thieves, a pair who had probably targeted this victim and his watch a day or more ago, possibly even spotting the watch on social media. The thieves observed the victim and his fiancée taking selfies, and offered to take photos of the couple for them. Afterward, they handed back the victim’s cellphone and high-fived him. That’s when they grabbed his wrist and twisted off the watch. Then the thieves fled into the safety of the subway.

Watch-theft in Stockholm

Three words I never expected to see in a sentence. According to police, there were 79 watch-thefts in and around Stockholm in 2018. This is a huge number; up from zero just a few years ago. 2019 has seen an enormous increase, with 136 watch-thefts just in the first half of July!

The watch-thefts appear to be well-planned and take place in the wealthiest parts of the city. Many occur in the stairwells of the victims’ own apartment houses, where the thieves get in on the pretense of making a delivery.

Now, look at the two M.O.s I have described. In both, the thieves come face to face with their victims. The victims smile right at them in the selfie-scene, and high-five them. They come out to meet their supposed deliverymen in the stairwells. In most watch-thefts, the victim gets a good look at the thief. Yet, none of the newspaper articles tell us what the thief looks like. Only The Voice of Europe, “Uncensored News” dares to use the term “migrant-imported crime wave in Sweden.” In fact, I believe it’s illegal for Swedish media to mention race, nationality, or legal status at all. So we don’t know who is committing these new and brutal crimes. But we can surmise, privately.

My watch has a double clasp, and it’s strong!

Right, but watch thieves aren’t concerned with the clasp. They grab the watch face and twist, breaking the tiny pin that secures the watch to its strap. “Secures” may be the wrong word. The pin breaks easily and costs only a couple of buck to replace. The thieves scram with the watch, its strong clasp intact. Read How to Steal a Rolex according to a Rolex thief. But it’s not just Rolexes anymore. And it’s not just in Naples anymore.

The thieves blew it. No pawn shop will touch this unique watch

In desperation and hope, a friend of the victim’s posted additional details of the theft on a watch-connoisieur site. Commenters mainly expressed three points: Who’d want such an ugly timepiece?; who’d wear such an expensive timepiece?; and who’d buy such a unique and expensive watch without its box and papers? The thieves will never be able to sell it, commenters declare.

Stockholm Police investigator Daniel Horner has explained that “it’s easier to move a watch between countries than a bag of money.” No one is saying for sure, but this particular watch is said to be worth around a quarter million dollars. Hard to say, because the value of a unique watch depends on the market and the moment; and the victim may be hesitant to say much more. Whatever, that’s one compact lump of money, and I can see how, for years, it might move underground in illicit trading without surfacing for cash.

If the whole story of the theft is true.

We don’t know.