Over 60 Rolex watches stolen in Amsterdam since the summer

Since the past summer, over 60 people have been violently robbed of their Rolex watches in Amsterdam. The thieves often strike in the evening hours, overpowering victims on the street and robbing them of their expensive watches, RTL Nieuws reports.

One victim was robbed in November in front of his girlfriend's home in Bussum after a night out in Amsterdam, he told the broadcaster. Immediately after they got out of their taxi, he was overpowered by two men. The same two men offered him and his girlfriend a ride home from Amsterdam. "The only thing they said was: 'Your Rolex, your Rolex'. I lay on the ground, was seized from behind and got a smack on the back of my head. They were only focused on my watch.

One of the robbers beat the victim with a gun, the other threatened his girlfriend with a knife. He finally gave up his €7,000 watch.

Another victim was violently robbed in front of his apartment in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid at the end of January, also after a night out. He and a friend were out to celebrate the end of Dry January - a month without alcohol. "Instead of driving ourselves, we took a taxi. But we hadn't even got out yet and I was already on the ground. I was jumped by two men from behind. One jumped directly on top of me and gave me hard shoves on my head and back."

They were after his watch - a Rolex Submariner with an inscription of his anniversary with his girlfriend. The watch cost nearly €8,000. "I did not let go, until one of the men said in a lax way: 'Just shoot him.' It sounded like it was a day job to them. Then I let go."

Since this past summer 62 people reported to the Amsterdam police that they were mugged and their expensive watch had been stolen. The police do not want to call it a Rolex gang - "Even though it sounds good in the media", a spokesperson said to RTL - but are investigating the connection. "We are also investigating whether there are 'spotters'. Those are people who seek out potentially suitable victims who are robbed at a later time."