Watch robbery today

[LyellLanatone]

For anyone under the impression its like David Copperfield a good looking Italian guy starts sweet talking you while stealthily taking off your watch, wrong.

Two rugby player sized guys start punching and kicking you from behind while a third yanks on your watch hard enough to dislocate your shoulder. It's over in 10 seconds and you are left laying on the ground bleeding and concussed. It happens so fast even at peak hour with hundreds of people around no one registers what is happening until it is too late.

Just some heads up these are guys who if they could would gladly cut off your arm to steal your watch and would consider it a fair trade. Wear a watch at your own peril

 

[Betsy Ross]

For anyone under the impression its like David Copperfield a good looking Italian guy starts sweet talking you while stealthily taking off your watch, wrong.

Two rugby player sized guys start punching and kicking you from behind while a third yanks on your watch hard enough to dislocate your shoulder. It's over in 10 seconds and you are left laying on the ground bleeding and concussed. It happens so fast even at peak hour with hundreds of people around no one registers what is happening until it is too late.

Just some heads up these are guys who if they could would gladly cut off your arm to steal your watch and would consider it a fair trade. Wear a watch at your own peril

Did this happen to you? Or did you watch it? I would guess that it was an expensive watch which is a no no in BA.

 

[earlyretirement]

For anyone under the impression its like David Copperfield a good looking Italian guy starts sweet talking you while stealthily taking off your watch, wrong.

Two rugby player sized guys start punching and kicking you from behind while a third yanks on your watch hard enough to dislocate your shoulder. It's over in 10 seconds and you are left laying on the ground bleeding and concussed. It happens so fast even at peak hour with hundreds of people around no one registers what is happening until it is too late.

Just some heads up these are guys who if they could would gladly cut off your arm to steal your watch and would consider it a fair trade. Wear a watch at your own peril

I formally owned the largest property management company in Argentina. I dealt with tens of thousands of tourists over the past 2 decades. We would always tell tourists to NOT wear expensive watches like Rolex or Cartier. Some people would not listen to us and inevitably they would get their Rolex or Cartier watches stolen. These thieves have thugs working as waiters in restaurants and they will point them when they see expensive watches so you have no shot at all. One of my clients was walking out of the Alvear Palace Hotel and instantly had his Rolex stolen.

Keep these watches at home! It WILL get stolen. We once had a tourist at a cafe and he resisted and they broke his nose and stole his $30k Rolex.

 

[Wally]

For anyone under the impression its like David Copperfield a good looking Italian guy starts sweet talking you while stealthily taking off your watch, wrong.

Two rugby player sized guys start punching and kicking you from behind while a third yanks on your watch hard enough to dislocate your shoulder. It's over in 10 seconds and you are left laying on the ground bleeding and concussed. It happens so fast even at peak hour with hundreds of people around no one registers what is happening until it is too late.

Just some heads up these are guys who if they could would gladly cut off your arm to steal your watch and would consider it a fair trade. Wear a watch at your own peril

I have seen a few people in San Telmo get robbed of watches. I would guess the same as what Early and Betsy mentioned that it was probably an expensive watch. You are asking to be robbed wearing an expensive watch here. NO common sense people doing this. Someone posted a video on this forum last year of an Uruguayan guy getting robbed like this in the middle of Palermo Soho. You don't stand a chance.

 

[McDonald]

For anyone under the impression its like David Copperfield a good looking Italian guy starts sweet talking you while stealthily taking off your watch, wrong.

Two rugby player sized guys start punching and kicking you from behind while a third yanks on your watch hard enough to dislocate your shoulder. It's over in 10 seconds and you are left laying on the ground bleeding and concussed. It happens so fast even at peak hour with hundreds of people around no one registers what is happening until it is too late.

Just some heads up these are guys who if they could would gladly cut off your arm to steal your watch and would consider it a fair trade. Wear a watch at your own peril

You can wear watches here. That isn't a problem. Most people aren't going to have a problem. Wear an expensive watch and that is the issue.

 

[TonyTigre]

What does it say about someone who feels the need to wear a very expensive watch or jewelry, especially outside of some special event?

 

[MikeYoung]

What does it say about someone who feels the need to wear a very expensive watch or jewelry, especially outside of some special event?

Even a special event why would you need to wear a $30k watch?

 

[Betsy Ross]

What does it say about someone who feels the need to wear a very expensive watch or jewelry, especially outside of some special event?

That's what I wonder. In what world does anyone feel like it's a good idea to wear an expensive watch in a country where the poverty rate is 53%? It is just asking for trouble. Like Mike mentioned, many places people have friends working to inform them when they spot someone wearing an expensive watch. I don't want to victim blame but anyone doing this has to assume this is a possible outcome.

 

[earlyretirement]

What does it say about someone who feels the need to wear a very expensive watch or jewelry, especially outside of some special event?

It's really only been expensive watches. I've never heard of a situation where rings were stolen but that is probably not a good idea anymore either. The entire time I lived in Buenos Aires up until even today I have worn my wedding band as well as a diamond ring that I got in high school. I never had any issues but probably will stop wearing that in BA. But really the main thing robbed is watches. But my wife doesn't wear her diamond engagement ring in Buenos Aires at all. Her ring is worth much more than mine. Mine is more sentimental value.

In all the years I have been working with tens of thousands of clients in Buenos Aires no one I know has ever gotten a ring stolen. Only expensive watches and almost always Rolex or Cartier. But recently I was having lunch with a developer friend of mine of a big company in Buenos Aires. He is from Buenos Aires and lived in BA all his life. He lives in Belgrano. And he hurt his back as he had 2 thieves stealing his watch. It was his grandfathers. He said it wasn't particularly of high value but he fought them off for sentimental reasons. He got hurt. I guess if they are robbing you just let them have it.

You ask a great question @TonyTigre. I think for many people they have a false sense of security because Buenos Aires looks so upscale in many areas. It feels safe and really it is. So even if warned to keep it at home or if they bring it, keep it in their safe they just don't think there is any risk. Some others have the attitude that they are invincible. Or that they went their entire life without having something happen.

It happens to the best of us. My business partner and best friend in Buenos Aires is a big guy. He is street smart and can handle himself well. He knows Buenos Aires very well. Well, after warning our own clients for years and years not to wear a Rolex watch, after a few years of making a lot of money he bought one. You can imagine how it turned out. He was coming from a party one night and immediately once he came out on the street, he got robbed at knifepoint. He had a big jacket on. So the only way the thief would know is if someone from the party called and told them.

Such is life in BA.