Tom Exton, luxury watch, and swanky car content creator says that “a slap on the wrist” is not enough to stop watch snatching. He gives City News the inside scoop on how to keep your bling buttoned up.
His advice comes as a brazen gang of “Rolex Robbers” is on trial today. This is one of two crimes related to watch theft in London courts today.
Exton says watch wearers should be weary. In London it is “basic self-preservation” to not flash your timepiece. He used to put his watch in his pocket, something he learnt from his nightclub days. This seems the way forward.
“It’s months worth of cash for them versus, you know, maybe a glorified slap on the wrist.”
Keeping it covered could keep your watch safe. Exton added , “You don’t deserve it and you’re not asking for it, but you can. Vaguely expect something to happen if you are strolling around with 50 grand dangling off your wrist around central London”.
“I certainly wouldn’t have it on display in public, visible when you’re walking down main roads and things. I think it’s just common sense. You know, we know now that watches are being targeted”.
The met police says “luxury” watches are worth over three grand. Yet some current Rolex models will set you back a solid £128k. Whilst the price is high, this doesn’t explain why they’re rolling off wrists now. Exton thinks that it has to do with online resale, the cost of living crisis and social media ideals sorry what’s a social media ideal.
He told City News that the, “ability to resell them has definitely grown. I think 10 years ago if you nicked a Rolex, you’d probably only be able to flog it down the pub for a few 100 quid. But now there are people making fake papers, fake boxes etc. And you can shovel it off abroad and probably get rid of it for fairly decent money.”
Still, even the parts are worth more. watches are going up in value… I do think there’s definitely more of a resale market for even stolen watches and these things have all contributed to the crime rate going up .”
Exton says that thieves go to “nicer areas” in London, like Knightsbridge and Mayfair. He’s not wrong. Met Police data from 2022-2024 shows that most thefts happen in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea. The heist on the 20th of Jan was in a Knightsbridge boutique.
Out of 4382 luxury watches stolen in that time, only 57 were returned to pride of place sorry what does this mean. Rolex has an international database to track down trafficked watches. But many are never returned.
The current sentence for watch related theft varies based on the value of the goods It can be as short as 6 months. Tom says that “It’s months worth of cash for them versus, you know, maybe a glorified slap on the wrist. It’s worth it for them. The punishments just aren’t severe enough to put them off doing it”.
The General Sentencing and Prison Reforms Act would bring in tougher restrictions on theft if made into law. In the meantime, Tom Exton gives our readers hints and tricks if your watch does get nicked. He advises to move in a timely fashion…
“First things first, if it’s insured, tell your insurer straight away, because I think you’ve probably got a time limit on, I think it’s 1224 hours from it being stolen to reporting it to the insurer.
If you really, really, really want it back, you don’t just want the insurance money or it’s not insured, contact any friends of yours that are close to the watch trade. So there are lots of dealer WhatsApp groups going around’.
Watch out for updates on this timely trend!
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HeadlineWatch it mate! Rolex robbers cash in for “a slap on the wrist”
Short HeadlineRolex robbers cash in for “a slap on the wrist”
StandfirstCity reveals luxury watch advice in a timely fashion
Tom Exton, luxury watch, and swanky car content creator says that “a slap on the wrist” is not enough to stop watch snatching. He gives City News the inside scoop on how to keep your bling buttoned up.
His advice comes as a brazen gang of “Rolex Robbers” is on trial today. This is one of two crimes related to watch theft in London courts today.
Exton says watch wearers should be weary. In London it is “basic self-preservation” to not flash your timepiece. He used to put his watch in his pocket, something he learnt from his nightclub days. This seems the way forward.
“It’s months worth of cash for them versus, you know, maybe a glorified slap on the wrist.”
Keeping it covered could keep your watch safe. Exton added , “You don’t deserve it and you’re not asking for it, but you can. Vaguely expect something to happen if you are strolling around with 50 grand dangling off your wrist around central London”.
“I certainly wouldn’t have it on display in public, visible when you’re walking down main roads and things. I think it’s just common sense. You know, we know now that watches are being targeted”.
The met police says “luxury” watches are worth over three grand. Yet some current Rolex models will set you back a solid £128k. Whilst the price is high, this doesn’t explain why they’re rolling off wrists now. Exton thinks that it has to do with online resale, the cost of living crisis and social media ideals sorry what’s a social media ideal.
He told City News that the, “ability to resell them has definitely grown. I think 10 years ago if you nicked a Rolex, you’d probably only be able to flog it down the pub for a few 100 quid. But now there are people making fake papers, fake boxes etc. And you can shovel it off abroad and probably get rid of it for fairly decent money.”
Still, even the parts are worth more. watches are going up in value… I do think there’s definitely more of a resale market for even stolen watches and these things have all contributed to the crime rate going up .”
Exton says that thieves go to “nicer areas” in London, like Knightsbridge and Mayfair. He’s not wrong. Met Police data from 2022-2024 shows that most thefts happen in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea. The heist on the 20th of Jan was in a Knightsbridge boutique.
Out of 4382 luxury watches stolen in that time, only 57 were returned to pride of place sorry what does this mean. Rolex has an international database to track down trafficked watches. But many are never returned.
The current sentence for watch related theft varies based on the value of the goods It can be as short as 6 months. Tom says that “It’s months worth of cash for them versus, you know, maybe a glorified slap on the wrist. It’s worth it for them. The punishments just aren’t severe enough to put them off doing it”.
The General Sentencing and Prison Reforms Act would bring in tougher restrictions on theft if made into law. In the meantime, Tom Exton gives our readers hints and tricks if your watch does get nicked. He advises to move in a timely fashion…
“First things first, if it’s insured, tell your insurer straight away, because I think you’ve probably got a time limit on, I think it’s 1224 hours from it being stolen to reporting it to the insurer.
If you really, really, really want it back, you don’t just want the insurance money or it’s not insured, contact any friends of yours that are close to the watch trade. So there are lots of dealer WhatsApp groups going around’.
