Ten years after the theft: Senior gets his watch back!

Ten years after the theft: Senior gets his watch back!

In an impressive case of rediscovery, an almost ten-year-old theft story has been brought to a positive end. Ten years ago, an 81-year-old senior citizen from Oberhausen was the victim of a burglary. In this incident, which occurred shortly before Christmas 2015, his valuable watches were stolen, among other things. Now she reports Saxon about the fact that the stolen watch was recently found during a routine vehicle check in Dresden.

Federal police officers stopped a suspicious van on September 13, 2025. During the inspection, they not only discovered typical burglary tools, but also two high-quality wristwatches. As it turned out, one of these clocks came from the break-in at the senior's apartment. The police officers in Dresden then informed their colleagues in Oberhausen, who gave the 81-year-old the good news.

A long road to return

Thanks to the cooperation of the various police authorities, the Oberhausen man was now able to clearly identify his watch using photographs. It's a real blessing for the senior who had to wait almost a decade for his valuable watch to return. The break-in not only caused him material loss, but also reduced his feeling of security in his own four walls.

Theft crime also plays an important role in the current police crime statistics (PKS). According to a publication on the BKA website Over 1.94 million theft crimes were registered in 2024, which corresponds to over a third of all crimes. These figures make it clear how important the issue of theft is for society, even though there has been a decline since 2015.

Education and prevention

However, despite the alarming statistics, there should also be hope. Technical measures and increased prevention work have contributed to the fact that the detection rate for thefts is low, but not hopeless. This is supported by the fact that over 87% of residential burglaries are reported, increasing the opportunities for detection.

Overall, the latest case of the Oberhausen resident shows that there can also be many positive turns. When you think all is lost, suddenly there is light at the end of the tunnel. The senior is about to hold his beloved wristwatch in his hands again, after a long journey that he certainly didn't cover alone.

This is further evidence that cooperation between police and citizens is essential to ensure safety in our communities and reduce the number of unreported thefts. Even if the risk of theft cannot be completely eliminated, every positive news such as the return of an 81-year-old's watch is a step in the right direction.