In effort to break the cycle, Watchfinder & Co. is calling upon the entire watch community to follow suit to ensure the industry-wide global theft epidemic is detoured. In a simple two-step call to action, Watchfinder & Co. is asking watch owners to always register their watch on a lost or stolen registry like Enquirus, which is free of charge and backed by manufacturers, law enforcement agencies and insurance companies around the world. In addition to this individual responsibility, Watchfinder & Co. is calling upon all competitors in the retailer space to always verify all incoming timepieces on the lost and stolen database prior to reselling. The leading pre-owned resource is also urging all consumers to only purchase through trusted retailers who are taking these steps to authenticate 100% of their inventory like Watchfinder & Co. has been doing since their launch in 2002.
“It is disturbing to see the rate at which watch thefts have been rising in the United States. At Watchfinder & Co., we’re hoping to break the cycle between theft and re-sale by encouraging all customers to register their timepieces, as well as inspire all other pre-owned retailers to implement thorough checking processes for their stock. With these steps in place, we can help ensure the pre-owned sector is a safe and trustworthy place to shop,” added van de Vall. He continued, “At Watchfinder & Co., we believe in the value of purchasing pre-owned, and pride ourselves on the procedures we’ve developed to provide customers with authentic timepieces they can treasure. With crime on the rise, it’s more important now than ever to purchase from trusted retailers. If considering a pre-owned purchase, do your research and check the retailer has thorough processes in place to trace and authenticate stock to give you peace of mind.”
This call to action by Watchfinder & Co. is being echoed by police officials throughout the United States. Donald De Lucca who has held multiple senior law enforcements posts throughout his career including serving as the Chief of Police for the City of Miami Beach for 26 years stated, “The lack of traceability around luxury watches has made them a prime and lucrative target for these career criminals.” He continues, “With companies like Watchfinder & Co. at the front lines of the stolen watch surge, their participation in Enquirus and leadership role will be vital in ensuring the unregulated cycle between watch theft and re-sale is broken.”
