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SINGAPORE: Jerry Ee, the former Cortina watch staff who pulled off one of Singapore's biggest heists, is still in the custody of the Royal Thai Police.
The 35-year-old, who made away with some S$8 million worth of watches from Cortina last year, surrendered at the Singapore embassy in Bangkok on Tuesday.
It is understood that Cortina's bosses from Singapore are now in Bangkok.
386 luxury watches went missing at Cortina's Raffles City outlet on Boxing Day last year, along with cash and guarantee cards totalling S$13 million.
So far, only about 200 of the stolen watches have been recovered.
Industry sources said the missing timepieces could have been sold off and might be passing hands in the international market.
One luxury watch dealer Channel NewsAsia spoke to said authorities should release the serial numbers of the watches in question, to make sure that shops in Singapore do not deal with stolen items.
A S$45,000 Vasheron Constantin watch was one of the many brands that went missing from the Cortina shop. And in the last few months, some customers have been questioning if the watches they are buying could be stolen items.
But Passions Watch Exchange said it always give a guarantee. Its operations director, Jonathan Tee, said: "All these pieces, we have 100% buyback guarantee to make sure they are safe. If there's any police case... we give a full refund."
He believes that the still-missing watches may have a common trait if they appear on the market.
He said: "I don't suppose those watches he took away with him come with the boxes... Papers and certificates, maybe. But boxes, it doesn't make sense. 300 over watches, when you carry (the boxes), it will be one big luggage alone."
Watch dealers say they take precautions and screen sellers by asking them questions on the background of the watch they are selling.
- CNA/ir
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