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- Four French nationals allegedly executed a $10m luxury-watch heist in Canberra.
- Thieves targeted ultra-rare pieces, including Patek 5711 ‘Tiffany’ and RM88 Smiley.
- Some goods recovered in Europe, but several multimillion-dollar watches remain missing.
- Police arrested all four suspects in Wentworthville after a coordinated investigation.
Like a plot to a Matt Damon heist movie, four French nationals travelled to Australia, rented a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV, broke into a Canberra mansion, and stole 70 items, including luxury handbags, jewellery, and some of the rarest and most sought-after watches in the world.
The total value of the stolen items exceeds $10 million, but the primary concern here is that the items are so rare, sought after, and valuable that replacing them will be a significant challenge.
To watch enthusiasts, the mere thought of being in the presence of a Patek Philippe 5711 ‘Tiffany’, Patek Philippe 5711 40th anniversary, and Richard Mille RM88 (Smiley) is enough to excite them. It’s truly impressive that the owner of this property, who is currently unnamed, had them sitting in their home. The Richard Mille RM88 (Smiley) was limited to just 50 pieces and is worth about $5 million on the secondary market. Meanwhile, the Patek Philippe 5711 ‘Tiffany’ was limited to just 170 units and once sold at auction for USD$6.5 million (AUD$9.8 million) in New York.
Police acknowledge that these thieves knew exactly what they were after, travelling across the world to pull off one of the greatest heists of luxury goods in Australia’s history.
The unnamed mansion owner had access to the rarest and most sought-after watches in the world, often worn by celebrities and athletes such as Jay-Z and LeBron James. These four thieves knew it, and they flew to Australia specifically for the robbery, renting a Mitsubishi Outlander around October 7, and travelling to a short-term rental residence in Wentworthville, NSW, as a temporary safe house.
“I’ve been in the job for a long time. I’ve never seen a burglary of this magnitude… and with people flying over from the other side of the world,” Detective Acting Inspector Battye told news outlet ABC, adding that the crime was “like a movie”.
CCTV revealed two men had broken into the home and stolen the items. However, the police have not yet revealed the complete list of items stolen from the mansion. Still, we know that 70 items were taken, including the aforementioned luxury watches, handbags, and jewellery.
Some have been recovered in Europe and sent back to Australia, but others remain outstanding, including the following items:
- Hermès Chaîne d’ancre Chaos ring (approx. AUD$12,745)
- Hermes Kelly Gavroche rings (approx. AUD$9,560 each)
- Van Cleef & Arpels Limited Edition Seoul Maison Vintage Necklace (approx. AUD$52,000)
- Patek Philip 5711/1P 40th Anniversary Nautilus (approx. AUD$750,000)
- Patek Philip 5711/1A-018 ‘Tiffany’ Nautilus (approx. AUD$2.5 million)
- Richard Mille RM 88 “Smiley” (approx. AUD$5.8 million)
With assistance from the New South Wales Police Force Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, the ACT Police located and arrested the four men in a fast-food restaurant in Wentworthville on 19th October 2025.
Police also raided a rented Sydney property, where they found some of the stolen items. However, the listed items remain outstanding. Anyone who can assist the police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers via the Crime Stoppers ACT website, linked below.
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