Luxury-watch theft across Europe has risen lately. Two distinct forms are covert theft and violent snatch-theft, sometimes involving motorbike gangs…

This article examines the available data on European watch theft and considers what can be learned about prevention from theatrical pickpockets Ricki Dunn and David Alexander, both of whom incorporated watch theft removals in their stage performances for many years.

Disclaimer: This article is for awareness and defensive security only. It does not provide instructions for theft, nor does it expose the secrets contained in the works of Alexander and Dunn.

Much of the data on theft comes from The Watch Register, insurance reports, Europol and security-industry analysis. In the latest verifiable data, a Freedom of Information request by The Watch Register found that approximately 29,000 watches had been reported stolen to London’s Metropolitan Police during the five years leading up to the end of 2023. More than half of UK watch thefts occurred in London. Southern France reportedly saw a six-fold increase in watch-theft incidents during the first five months of 2022.

Monaco, however, offers a reassuring contrast, with its extensive CCTV network and rapid police response making the Principality a particularly difficult place for watch thieves to operate. In July 2026, two suspects accused of stealing a Patek Philippe World Time valued at between €75,000 and €80,000 on Quai Albert Ier were tracked down and arrested within around 90 minutes, with the watch recovered before they had even left Monaco. In another case, a Richard Mille was stolen near Port Hercule shortly before 16:00, but by 17:45 two suspects had been arrested and the watch recovered, less than two hours after the theft.

Highest-Risk Locations

London: Westminster, Oxford Street, major railway stations and affluent central-west districts. 

Paris: Champs-Élysées, Montmartre, Pigalle, Gare du Nord and tourist-heavy areas.

The Wing-Mirror Scam

One scenario to be aware of involves driving slowly, perhaps approaching traffic lights, when someone on a passing moped knocks into your car’s wing mirror.

The natural reaction may be to lower the window to readjust the mirror. However, this exposes the wrist and creates an opportunity for a watch to be forcibly snatched by waiting gang members standing outside the car, working in cahoots with the moped driver. 

It is unwise to assume that you can react faster than someone attempting to remove a watch. For entertainment purposes, Marcos Ruiz Ceballos of Spain set a Guinness World Records time in 2017 for removing ten wristwatches in 29.58 seconds; an average of approximately 2.96 seconds per watch.

The Psychology of Watch Theft

David Alexander’s The Complete Professional Pickpocket and Ricki Dunn’s The Professional Stage Pickpocket focus on audience conditioning and misdirection in order to steal a watch. Both works illustrate psychological principles relevant to the real world:

1. Touch conditioning

Repeated casual contact can make a person less aware of further physical contact. A handshake or friendly touch may make subtle contact with the wrist less noticeable.

2. Attentional overload

Conversation or another distraction can occupy attention while something else happens.

3. Target selection

Criminals may look for behavioural cues such as someone’s excessive willingness to engage with strangers. 

Which Watch Designs Are More Vulnerable?

Watch clasps vary in how securely they remain on the wrist.

Higher-risk designs:

Simple leather straps with standard pin buckles can be more vulnerable when worn loosely.

Expandable stretch metal bracelets can be removed without a conventional clasp needing to be opened.

More secure designs:

Double-push-button or butterfly clasps require more than one action to release.

Tri-fold safety-lock clasps incorporate an additional safety catch.

Solid integrated bracelets worn tightly leave less space for the thief’s fingers to manipulate between the watch and the wrist.

Features that increase vulnerability:

A loose fit that allows the watch to slide freely.

Simple single-action clasps or releases make removal comparatively easy.

Practical safety ideas

Maintain personal space. Avoid unnecessary physical contact from strangers. Wear your watch snugly against the wrist. Don’t be distracted.  Also consider travelling with a less valuable watch. Some collectors wear a cheaper watch while travelling through higher-risk areas and switch back to the genuine timepiece when in a safer location.

Theatrical pickpocket literature demonstrates that watch theft involves exploiting psychology and vulnerabilities in how a watch is worn. Understanding these risks allows us to make simple common-sense adjustments in order to stay safe.

Prevention is better than the cure!

A Se Revede!

References:

Dunn, Ricki. (2006). The Professional Stage Pickpocket. Nielsen Magic.

Alexander, David. The Complete Professional Pickpocket. Edited and updated by Cassidy Alexander.

The Watch Register. 10-Year Report / stolen-watch database statistics.

Europol. (2024, March 21). 35 arrests in coordinated raid against violent watch snatchers.

Guinness World Records. (2017). Fastest time to remove 10 wrist watches (one hand).