Public Policy And Issues

$1 million in stolen Rolexes, timepieces recovered

Jan 5, 2012

San Diego--More than $1 million worth of Rolexes and other high-end watches, believed to have been stolen in numerous smash-and-grab robberies, have been recovered by police here.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, police received information on Dec. 30 that a large quantity of Rolex watches were being stored at an apartment in the Park West neighborhood of the city. Detectives investigated and determined that the watches there were those stolen in the robbery series.

The robberies included a heist and a holdup, the Tribune reported, and in both cases the armed suspects used sledgehammers to smash jewelry cases. On Sept. 16, a group of masked gunmen drove a stolen car into the Fashion Valley mall through an area meant for pedestrians. They used sledgehammers to break open display cases at Ben Bridge Jewelers, taking Rolexes and other merchandise.

On Nov. 9, four masked men entered the Barona Resort & Casino in Lakeside and smashed a glass display cash containing bundles of cash.

Two men face charges of robbery and arson in connection with the incidents, which began in August. They were arrested in November and have pleaded not guilty in court appearances.

In addition to these two robberies, the men are also suspects for robberies at The Watch Connection store in Costa Mesa on Aug. 2, at a Ben Bridge store in San Jose on Oct. 15 and at a Leeds & Son Fine Jewelry store in Palm Desert on Oct. 26.

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