Authorities in Italy have announced the successful apprehension of four individuals suspected of robbing a luxury watch belonging to Charles Leclerc. The robbery took place on April 18, 2022, in the coastal town of Viareggio, located in the picturesque region of Tuscany. The police released a statement on Tuesday, indicating that three men and one woman were taken into custody in connection with the crime.
Reports suggest that Leclerc was approached by two individuals who posed as fans requesting a photo, but who then fled on a scooter with his prized Richard Mille watch. As per the video that has surfaced newly where one can see Charles Leclerc chasing the culprits in his custom-made Ferrari.
📸 Authorities have released photos of Charles Leclerc pursuing the thieves who stole his watch, driving his Ferrari in the chase.#F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/bVWwMAgGmX
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 4, 2023
>
The police have confirmed that the two suspects who made off on the scooter were arrested, as were two other individuals in an SUV who aided in their escape. During their investigation, authorities found two watches in the possession of one of the suspects but were unable to confirm if either belonged to Leclerc. Additionally, police discovered over $25,000 in cash in one of the suspect’s homes.
However, Charles Leclerc has not been very vocal about the incident with the masses.
What is the price of the expensive Richard Mille watch that was stolen from Charles Leclerc?
The wristwatch stolen from the Monegasque was worth a staggering $320,000 which was a limited edition watch from Richard Mille. More than a decade has passed since Charles Leclerc collaborated with the luxury wristwatch company, Richard Mille. During his early years, the company has been responsible for sponsoring the Ferrari driver.
Richard Mille has elevated its relationship with Formula 1 driver by launching a new watch designed specifically for him. The watch, named ‘RM 67-02 Automatic Charles Leclerc’, is custom-made and exemplifies Richard Mille’s brand ethos of creating watches that function as “racing machines on wrists”. This makes it evident that the company as well as the driver go a long way.
We are offering for Only Watch 2021 a unique prototype of the RM 67-02 @Charles_Leclerc. This in-house watch is our lightest automatic timepiece, weighing a mere 32 grams. pic.twitter.com/FEOgUIJpj9
— Richard Mille (@Richard_Mille) September 15, 2021
The incident in Italy was unfortunate and resulted in Leclerc suffering heavy losses. The driver had arrived in the nation ahead of the Imola Grand Prix of 2022. At the city of Viareggio in Tuscany, Charles Leclerc was approached by fans asking for his autograph and a few photos where the driver was relaxing with a few friends, including his trainer Andrea Ferrari.
Leclerc apparently tracked down the thieves while escaping injury of any kind, and the incident led to the local police opening an official investigation. Charles Leclerc told reporters in Imola while speaking to the media for the first time since the incident ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP: “It hasn’t been a great experience but I cannot say much more than that” according to Sky Sports.
The Ferrari driver acknowledged that locating the thieves was not proceeding as “smoothly” as had been anticipated, but he assured that it will have no impact on his performance at all costs during the weekend when he was supposed to be attempting to increase his 34-point lead over the competition.