Italy is celebrated for the allure of its culture and people, yet it is also acknowledged for the occasional instances of random thefts and robberies in various city areas. Recently, a concerning incident unfolded involving Charles Leclerc, the star Ferrari driver.
One of his “fans” has stolen Leclerc’s customised watch worth 300,000 euros. While the thieves face serious consequences, the authorities are still continuing their investigation to fully assess the situation.
Charles Leclerc chased his watch thieves in a Ferrari
A year earlier in Darsena di Viareggio, near Livorno, a thief from an organised gang had stolen Leclerc’s watch while pretending that he was taking a picture with the Ferrari driver.
They fled from the scene quickly with the help of a scooter, and another SUV vehicle supported them from behind as it was caught in CCTV footage. However, Leclerc decided to chase both vehicles in his Ferrari 488 Pista but lost sight of them shortly.
🚨 | Charles Leclerc's €300k watch was stolen in Versilia last night.
— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) April 19, 2022
A group of fans asked him for a photo. He got out of his car, and during this encounter, they stole his watch. He has filed a complaint with the police.
According to the Italian police, the thieves fled to Naples in the hope of hiding there until the situation eased down. Despite their efforts, after some time, three men and one woman were arrested and accused of stealing more valuable watches with the help of blackmail and violence. All of them are held in custody until any further investigation is processed.
Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate also experienced similar situation
Leclerc’s teammate, Carlos Sainz, had to face the same fate in the Italian Grand Prix Monza. The Spanish driver was wearing a limited edition watch, which was also snatched from him by two drivers wearing motorcycle helmets who initially asked for a selfie.
In an Instagram post, Sainz confirmed that he had “experienced an unfortunate incident” in the bustling city.
Charles Leclerc’s watch which was stolen on Monday was a unique €2m piece.
— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) April 20, 2022
It was the Richard Mille ‘RM 67-02 Charles Leclerc’, designed especially for Charles.
It was effectively priceless, but a prototype was sold at an auction for 2.1 million Swiss francs (€2m) ⌚️
He said, “The most important thing is that we are all OK, and this will only remain as an unpleasant anecdote,” expressing his gratitude for the avoidance of any serious incident at that time. Eventually, the thieves were arrested and took the Richard Mille watch, worth at least 300,000 euros, into their possession. The 29-year-old thanked the Milan police for their efforts to catch the culprits, which conveyed the message that regardless of the thieves’ attempts to commit a crime, they would be bound to be caught and punished heavily for their actions.
Considering the repeated thefts, do you think Italy was a good place for the Grand Prix to take place? Let us know in the comment section below.
