Patek Philippe stolen in Cannes found at the Spanish border

Three Spanish nationals were detained at the country’s border — a Patek Philippe watch worth €120,000 was hidden in their car; it had been ripped from a Qatari diplomat on La Croisette in Cannes on 11 August.

Robbery on La Croisette

On 11 August at around 5:20am on La Croisette boulevard in Cannes, a Qatari diplomat driving a Porsche had his Patek Philippe wristwatch worth €120,000 ripped off. Source: Nice Mag.

Chase to the Spanish border

About half an hour later the Cannes police had already arrested the first person, but the investigation continued: CCTV footage led detectives to an Audi heading towards Spain. The information was promptly passed to border officers in Pyrénées-Orientales, and that same evening the car was stopped in Cerbère, on a minor road right at the border.

Watches found in the car

During a search of the Audi the watch was found hidden by the seat. All three detainees — Spanish residents aged 22, 26 and 47; one of them was already known to the police under various names for similar thefts, the other two had no previous convictions in France. Details — at Nice Mag.

What next

The suspects were taken to Nice and remanded in custody until the trial, which is set for 16 October. This summer has generally been unsettled for luxury watches on the Côte d’Azur: in July in Antibes security measures were already stepped up after a series of thefts.

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Photo: Balázs Gábor / Pexels