Thief returns US$290k Audemars Piguet watch with 'sorry' note

Last week, a valuable Swiss watch valued at approximately US$290,000 was stolen from a Tokyo store, according to local media reports. The theft took place when an individual posing as a customer tried on an Audemars Piguet watch and subsequently fled the shop while the timepiece remained on his wrist. However, an unexpected turn of events occurred when the store received a package containing the stolen watch along with a handwritten note expressing regret.

The Asahi Shimbun newspaper and other sources reported this development on Monday, with unnamed investigative sources confirming the details. The watch's serial number confirmed its identity as the lost item. The shop declined to provide further information when contacted by AFP. Tokyo police are actively searching for the suspect, identified as a man suspected of theft, as reported by the Asahi.

In a separate incident earlier this month, four luxury watches worth 200 million yen (US$1.3 million) were stolen from another store within the same shopping complex in August. The police continue their investigation into this ongoing case.