A luxury-watch theft in Tokyo has taken an unexpected turn, leaving investigators with a recovered timepiece but several unanswered questions. A man walked into a watch store at Nakano Broadway, asked to try on an Audemars Piguet worth approximately ¥46 million, and left without returning it. What happened three days later made the case even more unusual.
The stolen watch eventually made its way back to the store, accompanied by a handwritten apology. However, its return has not ended the investigation. Police are still trying to identify the man who fled with the timepiece and establish who arranged its unexpected delivery.
How a ¥46 Million Audemars Piguet Was Stolen From Nakano Broadway
The incident took place on October 29, 2026, at a watch store on the third floor of Nakano Broadway in Nakano Ward, Tokyo.
According to Japanese media reports, the suspect entered the shop at approximately 7:45 p.m., around 15 minutes before closing time. Presenting himself as an ordinary customer, he asked an employee if he could try on a luxury watch.
The employee took an Audemars Piguet out of its display case and handed it to him. The man placed the watch on his left wrist, but instead of returning it, he walked out of the store wearing it.
According to Nippon TV, the suspect spent approximately eight minutes inside the shop before making his escape.
When a store employee realised what had happened, they chased after him. The man ran towards the escalators, moving from the third floor towards the first floor before continuing through the basement level and eventually escaping from the shopping complex.
The store contacted police shortly before 8 p.m., reporting that a watch valued at approximately ¥46 million had been stolen.
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Two Employees Were Inside the Store During the Theft
Japanese reports indicate that two employees were present when the incident occurred. One was working in the store area, while the other was in a back room.
Neither employee was reported to have suffered any injuries.
One of the employees pursued the suspect after he left the shop, but the man managed to escape through the building.
Security cameras also captured his movements around the shopping complex. Investigators subsequently began examining the available footage to establish how he escaped and where he went afterwards.
A witness interviewed by Japanese television recalled seeing the man running through the basement while shopping there. The witness also heard a store employee shouting that the fleeing man was a thief.
TBS separately reported that surveillance footage near the scene showed the suspect running away.
Tokyo Police Release Details About the Suspect
Reports from Japanese media provided a general description of the man wanted in connection with the theft.
He was described as approximately 180 centimetres tall, wearing dark clothing, including a dark jacket and trousers. He was also reportedly wearing a hat, with one account describing it as having a camouflage pattern.
Another report said surveillance footage appeared to show the man wearing a hat and having what looked like facial hair.
Police have been examining security-camera recordings and other available evidence to reconstruct his movements after he left Nakano Broadway.
Suspect’s reported appearance
| Detail | Description |
| Height | Approximately 180 cm |
| Clothing | Dark jacket and trousers |
| Headwear | Hat, reportedly camouflage-patterned in one account |
| Facial appearance | Possible facial hair visible in surveillance footage |
| Status | Not publicly identified or arrested as of November 3, 2026 |
Suspect’s Escape Route: From Nakano to Tokyo Station
The investigation gradually provided more information about the suspect’s movements after the theft.
Initially, investigators established that he did not run towards the nearby JR Nakano Station. According to TV Asahi, he travelled in the opposite direction, heading east after reaching the lower levels of the shopping complex.
Further reporting from FNN Prime Online on November 3 provided a more detailed account of his suspected journey.
Investigators believe the man used a combination of walking and a taxi to reach the Shinjuku area. From there, he reportedly took the subway towards Tokyo Station.
The most significant detail emerged when investigators began examining his suspected movements after reaching the station.
According to investigative sources cited by Japanese media, the suspect is believed to have boarded a westbound Tokaido Shinkansen at approximately 9 p.m., around one hour after the theft.
This suspected journey has become an important part of the investigation, particularly because the stolen watch later reappeared in a parcel believed to have originated in Aichi Prefecture.
However, police have not established that the suspect travelled to Aichi himself or that he personally arranged the package’s delivery.
Stolen Audemars Piguet Returns to the Store Three Days Later
Just when the theft appeared to be another case of a valuable watch disappearing without a trace, the situation took an unexpected turn.
On November 1, 2026, three days after the incident, a courier delivered a package to the same store.
Inside was the Audemars Piguet that had been stolen on October 29.
Store employees checked the watch’s serial number and confirmed that it matched the missing timepiece. Reports also indicated that there was no obvious major damage to the recovered watch.
According to Japanese media reports, the parcel had been sent from within Aichi Prefecture.
The recovery was a significant development, but it immediately raised another question: why would someone return a watch worth approximately ¥46 million after stealing it?
The package contained something that made the situation even more unusual.
Handwritten Apology Note Accompanies the Returned Watch
Along with the luxury timepiece, the package contained a handwritten note apologising for the incident.
Japanese reports quoted the message as:
「すみませんでした」
The Japanese expression can be translated as “I’m sorry” or “I’m very sorry.”
The note established that an apology had deliberately been included with the returned watch. However, it did not reveal who had written it or explain why the timepiece had been sent back.
Police have not publicly confirmed the sender’s identity or provided an established explanation for the return.
The discovery therefore added another layer to an already unusual investigation. Although the store had recovered its valuable property, the circumstances surrounding its return remained unclear.
Aichi Parcel Raises Questions About the Sender’s Identity
Investigators are also examining the information provided on the courier package.
The parcel reportedly contained a sender’s name and address, but Japanese media reports indicate that police suspect these details may have been false or written under an assumed name.
One Japanese report stated that although the package was sent from Aichi Prefecture, the address listed for the sender was outside Aichi.
This discrepancy has raised questions about who actually arranged the delivery and whether the information supplied with the package was intended to conceal the sender’s identity.
Police are working to establish whether the person who returned the watch was involved in the original theft.
Importantly, there is no confirmed evidence publicly establishing that the person who mailed the watch was the same individual who stole it from the store.
The suspected Shinkansen journey, the Aichi connection and the handwritten apology are relevant parts of the investigation, but they do not independently establish the sender’s identity or movements.
Why the Watch’s Return Has Not Ended the Investigation
The recovery of the Audemars Piguet does not mean the theft case has been solved.
Police are still searching for the man who entered the store, tried on the watch and fled without returning it. Investigators are also attempting to identify the person responsible for sending the parcel.
These are separate questions that still need answers.
The available reporting does not establish a confirmed motive for the original theft or the subsequent return. It also does not establish whether the sender and the suspect were the same person.
As of November 3, 2026, no public identification or arrest of the suspect had been reported.
Nakano Broadway Had Another Major Luxury Watch Theft in August
The October incident has attracted additional attention because Nakano Broadway was already associated with another significant luxury-watch theft earlier in 2026.
In August, four luxury watches were stolen from a different store inside the shopping complex. Their combined retail value was reportedly approximately ¥200 million.
Two Chilean nationals were arrested in connection with that case and were later indicted, according to The Japan Times.
The August incident took place at a store on the first floor, while the October theft happened at a separate shop on the third floor.
There is no verified information connecting the October suspect to the earlier robbery. The two incidents remain separate cases.
Nevertheless, the recurrence of major luxury-watch thefts at the same shopping complex has drawn attention from Japanese media.
Security measures following the August robbery
The earlier incident also prompted greater attention to security among luxury-watch businesses in Nakano Broadway.
CBS News, citing Japanese reporting, said police subsequently held a crime-prevention session for watch-store operators.
The advice reportedly included displaying replica watches instead of valuable timepieces and considering measures that could make display cases more difficult to break.
The October theft, however, followed a different approach. Rather than breaking into a display case, the suspect reportedly obtained the Audemars Piguet by asking to try it on before leaving the store while wearing it.
What Is Known About the Recovered Audemars Piguet?
The stolen timepiece was identified as an Audemars Piguet, a Swiss luxury-watch brand.
Japanese authorities and media reports placed its approximate value at ¥46 million, equivalent to around $290,000 to $292,000, depending on the exchange rate used.
The exact model has not been consistently identified in the available reporting. There is also no verified information establishing that it was a limited-edition watch or that its value came from a particular complication or special feature.
The confirmed details are its brand, approximate value and the serial-number match that established its identity after it was returned.
Another unusual theft story
The unexpected return of the Tokyo watch also fits into a wider group of unusual theft stories involving public events and high-value items. Readers can explore the Streamer Awards 2026 stolen trophies report for another reported case involving stolen items.
Conclusion: Watch Recovered, but Tokyo Police Still Have Questions
The ¥46 million Audemars Piguet theft has taken an unusual turn, with the stolen timepiece returning to its original store just three days after the incident.
The watch was taken on October 29 by a man who posed as a customer before fleeing while wearing it. Investigators subsequently traced his suspected movements towards Tokyo Station, where he is believed to have boarded a westbound Tokaido Shinkansen at around 9 p.m.
On November 1, the watch arrived back at the store in a courier package from Aichi Prefecture, accompanied by a handwritten apology. Its serial number confirmed that it was the missing timepiece.
However, the identity of the person who sent it remains uncertain, and police have not publicly identified or arrested the original suspect as of November 3.
The watch may be back where it belongs, but the mystery surrounding who stole it, who returned it and why remains unresolved.
Source and Research Disclaimer
This article has been prepared based on research of the Japanese and international news reports listed below. It reflects the information, investigative details and statements available in those sources as of November 3, 2026. Suspected movements, investigative findings and reported details have been attributed accordingly. The article does not imply independent confirmation of information beyond what the cited reporting supports.
Sources
- Nippon TV NEWS 24 JAPAN – Man steals luxury watch from Nakano Broadway store in Tokyo
- TV Asahi – Nakano Broadway luxury-watch theft and suspect description
- TV Asahi – Suspect fled away from JR Nakano Station
- TV Asahi – Stolen watch returned with apology note
- FNN Prime Online – Watch returned from Aichi with apology note
- FNN Prime Online – Suspect believed to have travelled west from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen
- TBS NEWS DIG – Returned watch and apology note
- Nikkansports – Returned watch, sender information and theft details
- The Japan Times – Stolen luxury watch returned to Tokyo store
- CBS News/AFP – Returned watch and wider Nakano Broadway context
Featured Image Credit: Mister Mister / Pexels
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