Strange developments in one of the strands of the investigation into the luxury watch snatchings in Porto Cervo. Several people, all French, were arrested this summer.
The case has attracted media attention and alarmed guests on the Costa Smeralda. The fact is, one of the biggest thefts is now taking on a whole new meaning.
One of the victims, a businessman, sent a note to the Tempio Pausania prosecutor's office explaining that the Richard Mille he was wearing in early August, stolen by two young French-Algerian men, was not a very expensive watch (€500,000), but a real dud. Therefore, according to the investigation, the victim wasn't wearing a luxury chronograph, but a knockoff. The details of the case are unclear; the watch owner's communication to the prosecutors is truly unusual; the man said he realized later that he wasn't wearing an original Richard Mille.
One of the alleged perpetrators of the robbery, a 35-year-old man, was released from prison by the investigating judge of Tempio, Federica Di Stefano, at the request of his defense lawyer, Roberto Zanda.
The lawyer argued that the situation has radically changed. Meanwhile, Zanda demonstrated that there was no robbery; the watch wasn't snatched, but stolen without the victim's knowledge. Furthermore, the damage caused was only a few hundred euros, not half a million. Based on these assessments, Bellhani was released.