Stolen Audemars Piguet Watch Returns to Tokyo Store
An unusual development has emerged in Tokyo after a luxury wristwatch worth approximately $292,000 (46 million yen) was returned to the shop from which it had been stolen. The expensive Audemars Piguet watch disappeared from a store inside the Nakano Broadway shopping complex on October 29, 2026. A man reportedly entered the shop pretending to be a customer and asked to try on the timepiece. However, instead of returning it, he left the store wearing the watch. The incident quickly attracted attention because of the item's extraordinary value.
Watch Returned Through a Delivery Service
The incident took an unexpected turn on November 1 when the shop received a package containing the missing watch. The parcel had reportedly been sent from Aichi Prefecture in Japan. Store employees checked the watch's serial number and confirmed that it matched the stolen item. Along with the expensive timepiece, the package contained a handwritten note expressing an apology. Although the watch was recovered, the identity of the person who sent it remains unclear.
Tokyo Police Continue Searching for the Suspect
Despite the watch's return, the investigation is still ongoing, with Tokyo police continuing their search for the man responsible for the theft. Investigators reportedly believe that the sender's name and address written on the package may be false. Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the package's delivery to establish who returned the stolen property. The store's employees were not injured during the original incident. Police have yet to confirm the identity of the suspect or the reason behind the unexpected return.
Another Luxury Watch Theft at the Same Shopping Complex
The incident has also drawn attention because another major luxury watch theft occurred at Nakano Broadway in August. During that incident, four expensive watches with a combined value of approximately 200 million yen were stolen from a different shop. Two Chilean nationals were subsequently arrested and indicted in connection with that case. The latest incident has once again highlighted security concerns surrounding high-value watch retailers in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the return of the $292,000 timepiece has added an unusual twist to the ongoing investigation.
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