Stolen luxury watch returned to Tokyo store via courier with apology note

The Japan Times ^ | November 2, 2026 | Jiji

[chajin]

A luxury wristwatch stolen from a watch shop at a shopping complex in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward last week was later returned to the store via a delivery service, accompanied by a handwritten note of apology, investigative sources said Monday.

According to police and other sources, the theft occurred at around 8 p.m. on Thursday at a watch shop on the Nakano Broadway complex’s third floor.

A man tried on a luxury Audemars Piguet watch worth about ¥46 million ($292,000) and then fled with it. Two store employees were present at the time and neither was injured.

The watch was returned to the store via a courier on Sunday morning. After checking its serial number, staff confirmed that it was the stolen item.

The package had been sent from Aichi Prefecture and contained a handwritten note expressing an apology.

A name and address were also written on the package, but police believe the information is false.

In a separate incident at the same shopping complex in August, four luxury watches with a combined retail value of about ¥200 million were stolen from another shop on the first floor. Two Chilean nationals were arrested on suspicion of theft in connection with the incident and subsequently indicted.

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TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: japan; stealing

[chajin]

Aichi prefecture includes Nagoya, about halfway between Tokyo and Osaka.

The store owners were ticked off.

[Flaming Conservative]

The store owners were ticked off.

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Perhaps they should “watch” customers more closely.

[PAR35]

I wonder if the store owners had ‘connections’ and the robber learned he had stolen from the wrong person.

I was in the high end mall in Dallas a few days ago. The Rolex store had a barrier across the door like they use to make lines for tellers or security lines, and a security guard standing watching the sole customer. I walked by another watch store, and there was a large security guard standing in the doorway.

The Montblanc store looked to have less security. Among the lower end stores, the Macy’s had visible security at each door.

[jagusafr]

How much money need one have to justify a $300K wristwatch?

[maro]

Yes, perhaps when the thief went to the fence, he learned what would happen if he didn’t return the property.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

In a separate incident at the same shopping complex in August, four luxury watches with a combined retail value of about ¥200 million were stolen from another shop on the first floor. Two Chilean nationals were arrested on suspicion of theft in connection with the incident and subsequently indicted.

Chilean larceny-tourists.

[House Atreides]

“… accompanied by a handwritten note of apology…”
*****************************

In Japan, even the thieves are polite. 👏👏

[Fury]

My stepdaughter lost her AirPods out of her bag when coming home from work one evening. A passenger saw them fall out and let a worker from JR East know and gave to the worker.

A couple days later, as she was leaving the train on the way home, a JR East worker ran over and said a passenger saw them fall out of her bag, which was distinct (has characters Hypnosis Mic on it), so they knew she might be the person who lost.

One data point of Japan being a high trust culture.

[P-Marlowe]

My $53 Casio probably keeps better time.

[oldtech]

Will it actually tell time that much better than a Timex?

[US_MilitaryRules]

Yes, but this watch will tell you the time at $291,947.00 more!