Scary situation! Glad to hear that you are okay as that is all that truly matters.
Times are different now, I refuse to wear any gens or even nice reps in places I don't know just don't need that kind of attention.
I used to remove my watches, gen or rep, and stuff them under the car seat when doing my errands. Unfortunately, I learned (a bit slowly, I might add) that that’s one of the first places thieves look.
In the US, we have politicians who think the way to deal with crime is to deny it exists. They refuse to prosecute any crime less than $1,000. So predictably, police stopped investigating petty crime and makin arrests because it is a waste of resources when nothing is going to be done. Zero investigation and zero effort so the corrupt politicians can deceptively claim crime is down because arrests are down. Wait! What? It’s all smoke and mirrors.
If I can offer any advice, it’s to wear you watches and enjoy them but be smart. Gen or rep, they are not worth dying for. I spend most of my time around high net worth people who are not going to rough me up to steal a watch but, when I’m not, I put my watch in my pocket. I know it’s sad but these days you have to assume all public places and people you don’t know are unsafe.
