Background

A 53 year old male lawyer purchased 16 luxury watches throughout the years, including 15 Rolexes and 1 Audemars Piguet (AP). The watches were stored in a secure safe.

The man entered into a new relationship with a woman he had met on a night out. 6 months into the relationship, the man was caught cheating by going out on other dates with other women.

After the man admitted to cheating, the woman stayed for a few days but couldn’t accept the idea of infidelity so left. The women expressed gratitude for the relationship on social media and posted "thanks for all the gifts and wonderful memories."

Weeks after the relationship ended, the man purchased a 17th luxury watch to add to his existing collection. When he went to add it to his collection, he discovered that all of his luxury watches were gone from the hidden and secure safe. He did not have any insurance for content or high purchase.

Due to the recent circumstance the man was in, he suspected his ex-girlfriend took them. He confronted her about it and she said, "you gave it to me as a gift, I won't return them". Immediately after, the man called the police to report the theft.

The police took a statement from the ex-girlfriend and closed the case as a civil matter. He then decided to hire an investigator from Merlin, Hunter & Associates to trace assets on marketplaces and dealer stores.

Investigation

Merlin, Hunter & Associates began their investigation by conducting a lifestyle report on the ex-girlfriend. The investigators gathered information about her income, assets, and spending habits. They also traced her movements and activities.

The investigators discovered that the ex-girlfriend had been selling the watches online in marketplaces for under its value. They also found that she had been using the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle.

Confrontation

The investigators confronted the ex-girlfriend with the evidence they had gathered. She initially denied stealing the watches, but she eventually admitted to taking them. She said that she was entitled to the watches because they had been given to her as gifts.

The investigator supplied evidence of suspicious activity to suggest that it was not a legitimate gift. He also supplied evidence of ownership and a copy of a police record indicating theft.

Recovery

The investigators negotiated with the ex-girlfriend to return the watches. They were able to recover all of the watches except for one. The ex-girlfriend said that she had already sold the missing watch.

Outcome

The lawyer was pleased with the outcome of the investigation. He was able to recover most of his stolen watches, and he was able to obtain information about his ex-girlfriend's financial situation. This information will be helpful in the pre-sue litigation process.