Luxury watches, the latest target for thieves on the Côte d’Azur

Luxury watch thefts are an escalating problem in the region: in 2024, criminals stole an estimated haul worth more than €8 million in the Alpes-Maritimes alone.

The same scenario is replaying with worrying regularity. Thieves conduct careful surveillance, a lightning-quick, sometimes violent strike, then a getaway by scooter into the hills. Criminals target both people in the street and specialist shops. Monaco, long spared from snatch thefts thanks to its dense network of CCTV cameras, is no longer immune: the Principality suffered two high-profile heists in 2024. On 29 May, Monaco Watch Company was the victim of a spectacular six-minute armed robbery in which more than €4 million worth of watches were stolen. On 12 November, The Watch Project was hit by a rapid raid, with four watches taken in a matter of minutes.

Thefts are not limited to shops. In April 2024, American tennis player Sebastian Korda had his €300,000 Richard Mille stolen in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin after being thrown to the ground by two masked men. In late August, a student from Nice attempted to swap a fake Rolex for a genuine one valued at €48,000 at the Hôtel de Paris. Arrested at the Place du Casino, he was sentenced to four months in prison.

Enhanced police operations

Law-enforcement on both sides of the border have had to adapt their measures. The Principality relies on Police Department officers and a CCTV system. Investigations reveal organised networks that rework stolen watches, altering serial numbers before selling them on sites such as Chrono24 or using them to launder drug money abroad.