Four Spanish nationals were arrested in France on Saturday after allegedly taking a wristwatch worth around $300,000 from a Brazilian tourist, equivalent to approximately €261,000.
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The incident occurred on Friday in Saint-Tropez, one of the most popular destinations on the French Riviera, which attracts thousands of visitors during the summer season, including celebrities and high-income individuals.
According to the Var prefecture police, the victim said the watch was worth $300,000. After the suspects were detained, the luxury item was found, seized and returned to its owner.
Authorities launched an immediate operation after the four individuals allegedly fled the scene by car.
The newspaper Nice Matin reported that police tracked them along the roads of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. The suspects were located in Cogolin, near Saint-Tropez, where they were arrested before being remanded in custody.
The latest case is linked to a broader wave of thefts that has concerned French authorities during this tourist season. Organized groups are suspected of targeting wealthy tourists on the Côte d’Azur, stealing watches and high-value jewelry.
French police said that around 15 luxury watches have been stolen in the area since the beginning of this summer.
So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with four of these cases, while investigations into the other incidents are continuing.
To address the rise in robberies, authorities have increased security measures in Saint-Tropez. The Gassin-Saint-Tropez gendarmerie unit has been reinforced this year with a detachment from the Central Office for Combating Delinquency (OCLDI).
Specialized units are focusing particularly on luxury-watch thefts and are trying to identify the organized groups that have concentrated their activities on wealthy tourists during the summer.
