Authorities in Monaco are continuing to investigate a series of luxury watch thefts and attempted thefts reported during the recent Formula One Grand Prix weekend, with several cases linked to visitors in the Principality, Monaco-Matin reports.
According to judicial officials, five separate incidents involving high-end watches were recorded over the course of the event, highlighting ongoing concerns about organised thefts targeting luxury items during major international gatherings.
One case has already resulted in a conviction. A man in his thirties from the United States appeared before the courts this week after being accused of stealing a luxury watch from a victim in Monaco on Saturday, June 6.
The court handed him a three-month suspended prison sentence and imposed a five-year ban from entering the Principality.
Investigators were able to recover the stolen watch, a Rolex valued at approximately €10,000, after locating it in a hotel room in neighbouring France. The recovery was made possible through cooperation between Monegasque and French authorities, allowing the watch to be returned to its owner.
Meanwhile, inquiries into the remaining incidents remain ongoing. Prosecutors confirmed that another suspect has been brought before the courts and placed in pre-trial detention as part of a wider judicial investigation.
Luxury watch thefts have become an increasingly common issue at major international events, with criminals often targeting visitors wearing high-value timepieces in crowded public areas. Monaco’s Grand Prix, which attracts thousands of wealthy spectators, celebrities and business figures each year, remains one of the world’s most high-profile sporting weekends.
Authorities have not indicated whether the five cases are linked, but investigations continue as police work to determine whether organised groups were operating in and around the Principality during the event.