Thief Steals $290,000 Luxury Watch from Tokyo Store, Then Returns It by Parcel with Apology Letter - Thairath English

A man stole an imported wristwatch valued at $290,000 from a store in Tokyo before the original watch was returned by parcel from Aichi Prefecture, accompanied by an apology letter.

On 3 Nov 2026 GMT+7, NHK reported that Tokyo police revealed a luxury imported wristwatch worth about $290,000, or approximately 9.2 million baht, stolen from a shop last week, was returned by parcel along with an apology letter. The incident occurred last Thursday inside a store at the Nakano Broadway shopping center when a man asked to try on a luxury watch, then seized the opportunity to run out with it.

Investigative sources disclosed that the watch was returned via delivery service from Aichi Prefecture last Sunday. The store verified the serial number and confirmed it was indeed the stolen watch. The package also contained a letter apologizing for the incident.

Sources added that CCTV footage and other evidence indicate the suspect traveled by taxi and train, arriving at Tokyo Station about an hour after the theft. It is believed he then took the Shinkansen bullet train heading west. CCTV footage from the basement level 1 of the shopping center shows a suspect wearing black clothes and a hat running down an escalator, with an object on his left wrist that could be the stolen watch. Police are currently tracking the suspect for further investigation.