Man steals Rs 2.4-cr watch in Tokyo, returns it days later with apology

The incident comes months after another major watch robbery at a store in the same shopping complex (Photo: @audemarspiguet/Instagram)

A stolen Swiss luxury watch worth approximately $290,000 (around Rs 2.4 crore) was mysteriously returned to a Tokyo store with a handwritten apology note, days after a man fled with it.

The watch, made by Swiss luxury brand Audemars Piguet, was stolen last week when a man posing as a customer tried it on at a store in the Japanese capital before fleeing without returning it.

However, the case took an unexpected turn when the store received a package containing the stolen watch along with a handwritten note apologising for the theft, Japanese media reported.

The Asahi Shimbun and other media outlets reported on Monday that the watch was identified as the stolen item through its serial number. The package also carried a name and address, but the police suspect the details were fabricated, the Japan Times reported.

In Japan, a stolen $290,000 luxury watch was returned to the store days later.

3 days after the heist, the store got a package from the thief, with the undamaged watch and an handwritten apology. https://t.co/k6hFhwOp6y

— Pubity (@pubity) November 4, 2026

The incident quickly gained traction online, sparking several reactions. “Stealing a $290k watch and then mailing it back with a handwritten “sorry” is the most polite crime I’ve ever heard of. My only crime at the table is calling with nothing and somehow getting away with it,” an X user wrote.

“the apology note is so japan lmao,” another user commented. “This can only happen in Japan,” a third user chimed in.

Meanwhile, the Tokyo police are continuing their search for the suspect on suspicion of theft, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

The incident comes months after another major watch robbery at a store in the same shopping complex. In August, four luxury watches worth 200 million yen (approximately $1.3 million) were stolen from another outlet. Two Chilean nationals were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the theft and subsequently indicted, the Japan Times reported.

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Following the August robbery, the police held a crime prevention session for luxury watch store owners. According to the Asahi Shimbun, shopkeepers were advised to display replica watches instead of actual luxury timepieces. They were also instructed to use special linings inside display cases to make them harder to break.