A student from Nice will be spending the next four months behind bars after his failed attempt to pull off a watch heist at Monte-Carlo’s Casino Square went viral. The student was caught red-handed swapping a cheap replica watch for a genuine luxury timepiece in a brazen scheme that unfolded like a Hollywood heist—but without the happy ending.
The video of his arrest, a 40-second clip that lit up social media at the end of August, shows a man in a black suit and white T-shirt being tackled by security guards on the famous pedestrian crossing between the Hôtel de Paris and the Monte-Carlo Casino. The caption reads: “A man steals a 100,000 euro Rolex in Monaco.” Spoiler alert: he didn’t get very far.
The young thief, who already boasts a lengthy criminal record in France for receiving stolen goods and aggravated theft, set his sights on the big leagues with a plan fit for an amateur magician. After initially expressing interest in two Rolex watches at a luxury pop-up shop, he used the alias “Arkady Abramovitch” to arrange a follow-up meeting on August 15 at the Hôtel de Paris. But like any good suspense story, there was a twist coming.
When the two reconvened on August 27th, the salesman noticed something odd about his would-be customer: a hat, sunglasses, and a luxury brand bag—classic “I’m definitely not up to something” attire. During the meeting, the student asked to take a closer look at the watches, excused himself to the restroom, then returned to fumble with the watches under the table—a move that immediately raised suspicion.
In a move straight out of a bad crime movie, he attempted to swap one of the real watches with a fake version he had purchased online for just 100 euros. The switch was so obvious that the salesman instantly called security, leading to the now-viral takedown captured on video.
At his court hearing, the student explained that his crime spree was driven by debts and a request from his mother, who, in a twist of irony, is also serving time for theft. But the sob story didn’t sway the judges, who sided with the prosecutor’s demand to keep him locked up.
Featured image: The scene occurred a few metres from the entrance to the Monte-Carlo Casino
