A rare Audemars Piguet wristwatch valued at approximately $292,000 that was stolen from a Tokyo store last week was returned by courier with a handwritten apology note, Japanese media reported, though police have not identified or arrested the man who took it.
The package arrived at Kamekichi Nakano Honten, a luxury and pre-owned watch retailer on the third floor of the Nakano Broadway shopping complex in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward, on the morning of Nov. 1. Store staff confirmed the serial number matched the piece taken three days earlier. The watch showed no significant damage. A short note inside conveyed regret, with wording to the effect of “I’m sorry” or “Sumimasen deshita.” A name and address listed on the package are believed to be false, according to investigative sources cited by multiple outlets including The Japan Times and Kyodo News.
The theft occurred on the evening of Oct. 29, around 7:45 to 8 p.m., roughly 15 minutes before the shop closed. A man dressed in dark clothing entered the store and asked to try on a high-end watch. He returned that first piece, then requested the Audemars Piguet, valued at about 46 million yen. Once a clerk fastened it on his left wrist, he walked toward a mirror at the rear of the shop, briefly pretended to sit on a nearby chair, and bolted through the entrance still wearing the timepiece. Two employees were present. Neither was injured.
Security camera footage shows the man, described as about 180 centimeters tall and wearing a black jacket, trousers and a hat, running the wrong way down escalators, descending to the basement level and exiting the complex. He briefly boarded a taxi before making his way to Tokyo Station, arriving roughly an hour after the theft. Investigators believe he then boarded a westbound Shinkansen bullet train. The package containing the returned watch was shipped from Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, hundreds of kilometers from Tokyo.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police continue to investigate the case. The sender of the package is presumed to be the thief or someone acting on his behalf. No arrest has been announced as of early November.
Nakano Broadway is a multi-level complex long known as a hub for anime, manga and collectibles. It also houses several specialist watch dealers. In late August, two Chilean nationals smashed a display case at the Time Walker store on the first floor and stole four luxury watches—three Richard Mille models and one Patek Philippe—valued at a combined 200 million yen. The men fled, one on a rented electric scooter, and were arrested days later in Osaka. One admitted planning to sell the pieces and take the money out of the country. They were later indicted. That incident prompted local police to hold crime-prevention sessions for dealers, advising the use of display replicas and anti-shatter film on cases.
The October theft marks the second high-value watch incident at the complex within months. Investigators have noted that the man first tried on a different watch before selecting the Audemars Piguet, a sequence they interpret as testing staff response rather than pure impulse. The piece was returned intact after three days, despite having been worn during the escape through the busy complex. Japan’s established culture of returning lost property is well documented, with high recovery rates for wallets and phones reinforced by law and social expectation. Voluntary return of deliberately stolen goods accompanied by an apology is less common.
Under Japanese law, theft carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment or a fine. Voluntary return of property and demonstrated remorse can serve as mitigating factors if an offender is later identified and prosecuted, though they do not erase the underlying offense. Luxury watches from brands such as Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille and Patek Philippe have gained status both as personal status symbols and as investment assets in recent years, increasing their attractiveness to thieves. In this case the man chose to return the piece rather than attempt to sell it on the secondary market.
Police are examining the package for further leads, including handwriting, courier records and any potential forensic traces. The shop has declined public comment. The investigation remains open.
