Cannes police recovered a Patek Philippe watch worth an estimated 120,000 euros within half an hour of it being stolen from a Qatari diplomat on the Croisette early Tuesday morning.
According to initial findings, a man driving a Porsche on the Croisette lost control of his vehicle around 5.20am. In the confusion that followed, another individual took the opportunity to snatch the diplomat's watch before fleeing on foot. Video surveillance operators tracked the suspect's movements, allowing municipal and national police to converge on his location and make an arrest roughly 30 minutes after the theft.
Cannes mayor David Lisnard praised the coordinated response, noting that luxury watch theft remains a closely monitored concern in a city that draws large crowds during peak summer season.