(WATCH) Men With Luxury Watches Targeted In Bay Area Robberies (VIDEO)
In San Francisco and across the Bay Area, several high-profile robberies have been documented, with valuable watches being snatched directly off the wrists of various victims. Two victims are speaking out in the hopes of making their communities a little bit safer in the future.
“We’re extremely blessed we didn’t get shot, we didn’t get hospitalized, we didn’t get killed,” says a 59-year-old man who asked to be identified only by his first name, Raymond.
Raymond reveals his swollen and wounded knee by peeling back a bandage on the affected area. Aside from that, he also pointed out the marks on his hands and an area on his head.
“We’re extremely blessed we didn’t get shot we didn’t get hospitalized, we didn’t get killed.”
This past Saturday, Raymond had the shock of his life while driving to the dentist near 9th and Jackson in Oakland. He claims that when he was feeding the parking meter, a man approached him and demanded his watch.
“Immediately he pulled up his shirt and showed me his 9 mm tucked inside his shirt. At that moment I panicked, I screamed for help and I ran onto the street. My wife tried to save me by pulling on his pants.”
A revolver was drawn and Raymond’s Rolex watch, worth $30,000, was snatched off his wrist in a matter of seconds.
Raymond said, “I never expected his to happen to me, especially during broad daylight.”
Raymond recalls an unidentified bystander kicking his offender in the shins before the perpetrator dashed away in an awaiting Infinity sedan.
Raymond said, “It was scary… I don’t wish this happening to anybody.
Raymond was just on his way to the dentist w/his wife when the attack happened. Community patrols sprung into action & called 9-1-1.
There was no video so Raymond wants to raise awareness about efforts such as raising money for surveillance camera campaigns. #StopAAPIHate pic.twitter.com/0jkZYoNorO
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) December 10, 2021
This is not the first time in recent weeks that a watch has been robbed in the San Francisco Bay Area. Authorities around the Bay Area tell ABC7’s Dion Lim that they believe there has been an upsurge in watch robberies in recent months.
A man who only wants to be recognized as John had his Movado stolen near the Cheesecake Factory at Valley Fair Mall the day before Raymond’s incident.
A man named John was robbed at gunpoint of his Movado watch outside the Cheesecake Factory at Valley Fair Friday. (He provided this video as the susp sped away.
The next day a 59-y/o named Raymond was pistol whipped at 9th & Jackson for his $30,000 Rolex.
(1/3) #StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/j5mKmBTyuR
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) December 10, 2021
“I was just blindsided by two men behind me. One put me in a chokehold… and threw me on the ground”, explained John, on a Zoom interview.
In this case, the suspects appear to race away in an expensive Mercedes with a matte finish and a dark gray exterior.
The most dramatic incident occurred in October when a couple from Indonesia was robbed of a $100,000 Richard Mille timepiece in San Francisco. In the surveillance video utilized in the police investigation, two males approach the couple at a vehicle rental facility with their firearms drawn.
This was the incident back in October when a couple from Indonesia had their $100,000 Richard Mille taken at gunpoint.
I’m told by law enforcement sources they’ve seen a bunch of watch robberies similar to this. #SanFrancisco #AAPI https://t.co/3LplEBZolT pic.twitter.com/wu2XBUjOn1
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) December 10, 2021
Because there was no surveillance video in Raymond’s case, only a fuzzy photo taken by a bystander, Raymond hopes that his tale may inspire others to make a difference in their communities as a result of his experience.
Raymond encouraged viewers to “protect our community, therefore the community can prosper after. Only then can we prevent the problem, protecting the citizens, so we can carry on with our life.”
Raymond credits the assistance of a neighboring safety patrol for springing into action quickly following the incident and dialing 9-1-1. Oakland Police, he claims, arrived within a minute of his call.
“I feel sorry for the local business community, so I want to do whatever I can do to help so this does not happen again,” says Raymond.
There have been some efforts to increase safety in the Oakland area. The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce partnered with Verkada to help install more security cameras across the city.
Volunteer groups like Compassion in Oakland partnered with various local businesses, providing them with pepper spray and personal alarms to be put in safety kits. One young woman independently raised over $30,000 to buy more security cameras for the area.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for any details.
