How my AP Royal Oak Rep got stolen last weekend in Berlin

[Billybats73]

And if anyone is interested to know how it happened - was in the tourist district of Berlin, middle of the day, and some innocent looking guy came up to ask me to take a photo for him. I did it, and after he looked at the photo, he said it wasnt good enough and asked to me to do another one. After a couple more tries, he was happy with it. I thought in my mind, wow this guys is picky, but didnt raise any red flags yet. then he asked me where i am from, etc. Then he said thank you and and gave me a high five. I said ok, then he said left hand too (where i wear my watch), to be nice i complied without a second thought. Then he grabbed my wrist then suddenly his two frinds showed up and grabbed me on my shoulders and started distracting me. I immediately felt something was up and pushed them away, checked my wallet and phone and made sure they are there. Had a jacket on and did not immediately thought about my watch. They said have a nice day a quickly walked away. I did not find out my watch was missing until at least 15 minutes later..these guys are pro, and lesson well learnt, could have been alot worst if i was wearing my gen submariner..He stole the watch off me in in literally one second. My friends are telling me that the jokes on them since its a rep, but not really as thats my favorite watch!

 

[Hazing]

That’s crazy, man. Where are you from? That’s nuts. I must admit though that I’d almost like to see this happen so I can be aware of how they do something like that.

reading your story(and because I know the ending) as you say he insisted on a high five with your left hand, I’m thinking “no way. I’d tell this guy to fuck off” but in he moment, when someone is being friendly and I’m being friendly back and in a split second, this can easily happen.

And no, the fact that it’s a rep doesn’t make things any better. When you’re robbed, especially right off your body, you feel violated. Granted, a $500 loss is easier to swallow than a $30,000 loss but it still hurts. Glad you’re okay though. The 2atch can be replaced.

 

[PecMan]

Jesus... good to know, im sure more people is doing that around the world.
glad was not a gen

 

[Daddyof3]

thats crazy i would of knocked them out!

 

[Palace]

thats crazy i would of knocked them out!

Well.. he noticed it 15 minutes later.

Gesendet von meinem SM-G965F mit Tapatalk

 

[Copterguy]

Well.. he noticed it 15 minutes later.

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Drinking? Maybe if I was not sober, I could see this happening to me. Any other time, any interactions with some stranger my spidey senses go up. If you're on vacation in a different environment, senses should go up even more. I've never been physically accosted as such, but here in Hawaii, petty theft is unbelievable. they'll steal anything, any time, anywhere because zero repercussions.

 

[trailboss99]

thats crazy i would of knocked them out!

3 of them, really?

 

[Daddyof3]

3 of them, really?

lol i would sure as hell try!

 

[Rawbe]

3 of them, really?

You're helping him get his 25 posts in a single day boss, I wonder what will happen next .. LOL

OP I'm sorry to hear about your loss, definitely a good warning for what to pay attention to when traveling abroad.

 

[Colibri]

this is one of the reasons why I buy reps (plus couldn't afford gens anyway)

 

[owk]

this is one of the reasons why I buy reps (plus couldn't afford gens anyway)

:megalol::megalol:

It still hurts a lot, $500 is not less

I guess these were arabs in Berlin

 

[Rawbe]

:megalol::megalol:

It still hurts a lot, $500 is not less

I guess these were arabs in Berlin

That is extremely racist, perhaps think about what you're going to type and how it might affect others on the forum before you post it.

 

[Sharky1528]

Wow !!! Crazy story… sorry for your loss

 

[Raddave]

:megalol::megalol:

It still hurts a lot, $500 is not less

I guess these were arabs in Berlin

why arabs ?

 

[owk]

That is extremely racist, perhaps think about what you're going to type and how it might affect others on the forum before you post it.

Sorry for my missunderstanding. I'm not an racist at all. I have arabs friends and our family helps refuegees in germany.
Do not understand me wrong, I just wanted to say that sounds like an arab gang.

 

[Rawbe]

Sorry for my missunderstanding. I'm not an racist at all. I have arabs friends and our family helps refuegees in germany.
Do not understand me wrong, I just wanted to say that sounds like an arab gang.

But again, why arabs? What about that story specifically determines their race? Could it not have been a "gang" from any culture? Could they not have all been different races and just friends pulling a heist? Still comes off very insensitive even in the defense post mate.

Great that your family does that and you have friends of Arabian descent, but racist remarks are always going to be frowned upon.

 

[jmclr4]

I was a Police Officer in NYC for 22 years I have seen it all. From stealing wallets on the train by cutting your pockets with a box cutter on a Friday night while you were drunk and half asleep.
Four gypsy women would work the tourists district and continuously cross the intersection pickpocketing tourists and dumping the wallets inside a baby stroller the other women had behind them.
So many stories that you would say it can’t happen to me until it happens to you.


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[owk]

But again, why arabs? What about that story specifically determines their race? Could it not have been a "gang" from any culture? Could they not have all been different races and just friends pulling a heist? Still comes off very insensitive even in the defense post mate.

Great that your family does that and you have friends of Arabian descent, but racist remarks are always going to be frowned upon.

Well I am from germany and I know those gangs in Berlin doing that professional (not in person) and they are arabs. We even got an tv show about extended arab familys in Berlin.

You can get robbed by anybody, even a local. But as OP describes it, it was a professional gang. That doesn't sound degrading to me either. And we don't have any Bloods or Craps, Yakuzi or anything.

But you are right, the way I first said it, it was wrong, should probably have said professional arab gang or something like it.


Some years ago the same thing happened in Frankfurt here, it was in the newspaper. Some guys punched a businessman and stole his replicated Rolex and once they tried to sell it they got busted

 

[dnarevolutions]

Well I am from germany and I know those gangs in Berlin doing that professional (not in person) and they are arabs. We even got an tv show about extended arab familys in Berlin.

You can get robbed by anybody, even a local. But as OP describes it, it was a professional gang. That doesn't sound degrading to me either. And we don't have any Bloods or Craps, Yakuzi or anything.

But you are right, the way I first said it, it was wrong, should probably have said professional arab gang or something like it.


Some years ago the same thing happened in Frankfurt here, it was in the newspaper. Some guys punched a businessman and stole his replicated Rolex and once they tried to sell it they got busted

Yikesss.

It's "Crips" lol, calling them "Craps" might have you end up worse off than OP here haha

Back on topic, it's tough deciding whether or not to wear certain things when you go abroad Like, I get it that if you have nice things, you should wear them, but at the same time, it could make you a target for pickpockets. Thank god it's not a gen, and this is also why I pretty much just roll with a Casio whenever I go travelling abroad.

 

[Billybats73]

Thanks for you all comments - I am actually a pretty savvy traveler (at least I thought) and usually have my guards up. But the guy caught me at an off moment when I was reading something on my phone. Also, I had never expected my watch to be a target of theft. But I am actually glad this happened - though not a cheap lesson, but could be way worst. (And gives me an excuse to upgrade!)

From now on, I am not going to be a nice guy when I travel!

By the way, since race was brought up, these guys are from South America.