The UK is suffering a watch theft epidemic, with one stolen every thirty minutes, according to data from UK police forces, acquired by pre-owned watch specialist Watchfinder & Co. Thefts of timepieces have soared by 41% year-on-year with over 1,250 watches taken each month.
More than 100,000 watches have been stolen since 2015 with London at the centre of the crimewave. The capital accounts for around four in ten of all thefts, with one timepiece taken every hour and a half. More than a quarter of watches stolen across the UK are valued between £100-£3001, meaning it’s not just expensive watches being stolen.
Last year, 33 of the country’s 45 forces recorded a total of 11,035 thefts – up 41% on 7,821 in 2021. If all forces had provided data, the annual total would be in the region of 15,000 – equating to one theft every 30 minutes.
