Rolex gang convicted: When luxury watches become a security issue

Rolex gang convicted: When luxury watches become a security issue

Prison sentences, travel bans and the question of protective measures in the harbours

Key question: How can visitors on small promenades and berths be protected without destroying the lively harbour atmosphere?

In Palma, a criminal court recently handed down verdicts against three Italian nationals who are said to have been involved in several attacks on tourists in Port d'Andratx and Port Adriano in autumn 2023 (reported in Assault in Port d'Andratx: What the Rolex Robbery Means for Harbor Safety). The defendants admitted involvement in three robberies; the total of the sentences amounts to seven and a half years in prison. The imposed penalties can be replaced by an eight-year entry ban for Spain. Two of the convicted must pay a victim €24,000 in compensation; the court also imposed fines of €4,500 each for the injuries caused during the crimes.

The briefly reported sequences of events: At the end of October, a tourist near Café Cappuccino in Port d'Andratx was reportedly struck hard from behind before a Richard Mille RM 35-02 worth around €60,000 was snatched from him. In early November, an incident in Port Adriano saw a cyclist violently robbed of a Rolex Daytona 6263 (around €50,000); he fell during the attack. In mid-November another robbery occurred in the parking area behind the café in Port d'Andratx, where a Patek Philippe Nautilus was stolen. The perpetrators partly fled on motorcycles after the assaults; in one robbery a suspect was later released and left Spain the same day with a plane ticket he bought shortly after the court hearing — a pattern seen in other proceedings such as Arrest after Jewelry Heist in Palma: Questions Remain. Two of the defendants testified via video conference; there are indications of further, so far unidentified accomplices, and another alleged participant is believed to be abroad.

The cases have, as many on the island know, more than just legal significance. On some mornings the quay wall of Port d'Andratx has anglers in worn caps standing next to guests drinking coffee at Café Cappuccino. The engines of large yachts hum, the spray smells of diesel, and a scooter often parks on the corner — a place that seems relaxed to visitors but apparently also offers lines of sight for people with bad intentions. Such everyday scenes should wake us up: a brief moment of inattention is enough, and an expensive watch is gone — sometimes with physical consequences for the victims. Similar reporting from Palma highlights the wider problem, for example Robbery in Palma's Old Town: Luxury Watch Stolen — How Safe Are Evening Walks?.

Critical analysis: The convictions are important, but they only scratch the surface of a deeper problem. The perpetrators apparently travelled with a specific intention, according to their own statements with the sole goal of committing robberies. That turns the island into a temporary operational field for organised small groups. Police presence alone is not enough; the procedures — from surveillance to victim selection to escape — point to division of labour and good local knowledge. The court ruling attacks offenders legally but does not solve the question of why such gangs find the necessary preconditions: convenient anonymity during the high season, frequently used escape routes via rental cars or motorcycles, and sometimes insufficient monitoring in sensitive harbour areas.

What is often missing in public debate: first, the perspective of the victims and how they are supported afterwards. Second, an honest assessment of preventive measures in the harbours — which cameras work, how quickly do port authorities respond, how well do local police and national police cooperate? Third, a look at the infrastructure: poorly lit parking areas, too few staff at hotspots and gaps in checks of rental vehicles make it easier for perpetrators to act.

Concrete solutions that are practicable in daily operations: stronger coordination between harbour operators and police with clear alarm pathways; targeted increases in visible foot patrols in the early evening when many people wear jewellery; simple, fast information campaigns for guests at check-in (do not display expensive items openly, use hotel safes); mandatory reporting channels for unusual observations in marinas; better registration of car and motorcycle rental companies in the high season, combined with spot checks; expansion of technical measures such as functioning cameras at access points and clearly visible signage in parking lots.

There are also legal and international measures: faster information sharing with the perpetrators' home countries so escape routes can be blocked; tougher sanctions for organised groups, combined with return and exit checks when entry bans are imposed. A further idea would be a victim protection fund to cover short-term medical costs and psychological help, financed for example by fines from comparable cases.

A personal note to finish: A local resident remembers how harbour promenades used to be safe places where children bought ice cream and fishermen mended nets. Today that image is mixed with the worry of suddenly becoming a target while strolling to the next bar. It is possible to find the balance again: with visible presence, pragmatic rules in marinas and a dose of sensible caution from guests — without turning the harbour into a military exclusion zone.

Conclusion: The convictions are correct and important. They show that the justice system is responding. Nevertheless, the verdict must not obscure the fact that structural measures are missing. Anyone who lives on Mallorca or spends their vacation here deserves safer harbours, clear prevention and better connected authorities. Otherwise convictions remain patchwork — and the promenades continue to be vulnerable scenes for offenders who specialise in targeting individuals.