To be a Qatari royal is frankly quite cool, it makes you part of one of the most affluent families in the world. However, it’s beginning to seem less glamorous to be a Qatari royal aboard European trains or even in touristy hotspots. Adding to a growing list of thefts targeting royals is yet another incident involving a pricey Richard Mille watch. Thankfully, this time, the police got it right.
According to Ouest France, proactive Cannes police managed to foil a well-organized luxury watch theft on Friday, May 2. They caught the suspects just in time as they attempted to steal a $650,000 Richard Mille timepiece from a member of the Qatari royal family. All the thieves, Italian nationals, were arrested on the Croisette before they could carry out their plan. The ringleader, believed to be from Naples, was detained alongside four accomplices as they tried to flee.
“In total, we have arrested 12 watch thieves since April 1st,” said Chief Inspector Christophe Haget of Cannes, in an interview with AFP. Fortunately for the prince, heightened surveillance ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, which begins in ten days, meant the police were in the right place at the right time.
Hopefully, this sends a clear message to anyone planning criminal activity in Cannes, especially with VVIPs descending on the glamorous city of stars along the French Riviera, renowned for its luxury. Just last month, a Qatari prince was robbed of his Hermès suitcases containing $1.25 million worth of Rolex and Richard Mille watches while en route to Paris from Geneva. It’s reassuring that at least one of them will now head home with his watch still intact, and on his wrist.
