An MB&F luxury watch worth €110,000 has resurfaced in Bangkok three years after being stolen from a Georgian official in Barcelona. The theft occurred on August 12, 2022, when the high-ranking official was targeted in a snatch-and-grab robbery on Pintor Fortuny street. According to police sources, the discovery came when the current owner brought the timepiece to an official MB&F service centre for repairs.
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The Investigation
The luxury brand activated an alert upon identifying the stolen watch and notified Mossos d’Esquadra via email two weeks ago. Investigators confirmed the current possessor voluntarily surrendered the item once its stolen status was established. The original victim has dispatched a trusted representative to Bangkok to retrieve the valuable timepiece.
Police arrested two of the four suspected thieves involved in the robbery. Both suspects had previous convictions for luxury watch thefts across multiple European countries. The case highlights Barcelona’s ongoing struggle with organised theft operations targeting high-value items from tourists and officials.
International Recovery
Subinspector Jordi Almendros described the recovery as miraculous, requiring several factors to align perfectly. Comprehensive watch documentation, brand database alerts, and the item being brought to official service centres all contributed to the successful outcome. However, this remains an exceptional case among many unresolved luxury thefts.
The investigation confirms police suspicions that many luxury watches stolen in Barcelona end up in distant markets including Qatar, Dubai and Thailand. Once recovered, the watch will be returned through proper judicial channels. The court handling the original violent robbery case will receive official notification upon completion of the retrieval process.
This case demonstrates the global nature of luxury goods trafficking from European cities. Police continue to monitor international markets for stolen high-value items, though recoveries remain rare. The successful identification shows improved cooperation between luxury brands and law enforcement agencies across borders.
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