A tourist had a £700,000 designer watch snatched from his wrist when he was targeted by a gang of thieves in Barcelona.
The wealthy American traveler told police the watch was stolen as he was surrounded by a group on Calle Lledo in the city’s Gothic Quarter.
The man, who suffered minor injuries in the attack, was near the five-star Mercer Hotel when he was targeted.
Local reports suggest he was returning to the hotel for a nap after lunch at a nearby restaurant when the assault took place.
Following Tuesday’s robbery, Spanish police have opened an investigation and are looking for four men.
The watch in question has been identified as a Swiss-made Hublot, with unconfirmed reports indicating it is a Black Caviar Bang.
The Black Caviar Bangs are limited edition watches that feature hundreds of precision cut black diamonds.
Each takes over 2,000 hours to manufacture from start to finish and sells for the hefty price tag of $1 million in the United States.
However, Mossos d’Esquadra regional police said they were unable to confirm what type of watch was stolen.
A spokesperson for the force said: ‘I can confirm that we are investigating the violent theft of a designer watch worth £685,000 following a complaint from a tourist.
“The person who reported the crime said he was surrounded by a gang of muggers who snatched the watch from his wrist.
“The reported incident occurred around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday. No arrests have yet been made.
Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter has narrow medieval streets filled with trendy bars, clubs and restaurants and is always bustling with holidaymakers.
It was not immediately clear whether police managed to obtain CCTV footage of the incident.
Rolex thieves have been known to target holidaymakers in popular destinations like Ibiza, Mallorca and Barcelona during the high summer season.
Locals complained earlier this month that youth gangs were targeting tourists in San Antonio in Ibiza.
A businessman told the island newspaper Diario de Ibiza: ‘They act quickly, without talking or drawing attention to themselves in order to surprise their victims.
They are very well prepared. Previously, this happened at night, but now they strike at any time of the day.
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