This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
Published on October 9, 2019, a Japanese tourist was robbed of his $840,000 Swiss watch in Paris.
A 30-year-old man was approached outside the five-star Hotel Napoleon near the Arc de Triomphe by a man who asked for a cigarette.
The thief then grabbed the man's arm and fled with the rare Richard Mille timepiece, estimated to cost 770,000 euros.
Richard Mille watches are highly prized by aficionados and instantly recognisable to thieves targeting wealthy tourists in the French capital.
According to the Parisien newspaper, at least four other Richard Mille watch robberies have occurred in Paris and nearby suburbs between January and September, with a total of 71 high-value watch nabbings reported.
However, the Japanese victim may be luckier than most, as the assailant dropped a cellphone as he fled, which has been handed over to the police division investigating serious robberies and organised crime.
