Milan: Stolen Luxury Watches Returned With Note Claiming “They’re Fake”
A bizarre twist has emerged in a high-profile theft case involving luxury watches allegedly worth €600,000. Less than 24 hours after an American tourist was robbed at a five-star hotel in Milan, the stolen items were mysteriously returned—along with a handwritten note from the thief claiming the watches were fakes.
The robbery occurred on the morning of 25 June at the Westin Palace Hotel, a luxury property near Milan’s central train station. The victim, a tourist from the United States, was checking out when a thief snatched his Tom Ford backpack in the hotel lobby. According to police reports, the bag contained four Richard Mille watches—each reportedly valued at €150,000—along with a wallet, cash in both euros and dollars, credit cards, and a pair of Apple AirPods.
The next morning, hotel staff discovered the stolen bag returned to the exact spot where it had been taken. Inside were the four watches, apparently untouched. Alongside them was a handwritten note that read simply: “They’re fake.”
While the cash and AirPods were missing, the reappearance of the watches raised immediate questions. Were the timepieces indeed counterfeit, or was the thief attempting to mitigate legal consequences in the event of arrest? Police have yet to confirm the authenticity of the watches, and forensic teams are examining the bag for fingerprints and other evidence.