CLEARWATER, Fla. — A $21,000 watch that was stolen from a man in Milan, Italy a decade ago was returned to the man in Clearwater on Friday.

  • $21,000 watch stolen from man's wrist in Italy 10 years ago
  • High-end watch recently brought to Clearwater repair shop
  • Repair shop, detectives worked to find owner, Alberto Laboni

The Audemars Piguet watch recently had been brought to a Clearwater watch repair shop, the Clearwater Police Department said. Shop workers ran the serial number on the high-end watch, which indicated it was stolen. They then contacted police.

Clearwater detectives worked with the repair shop in what turned out to be an international search for the owner. They found Alberto Laboni.

Laboni said that in December 2008, he was driving down a Milan street when a scooter intentionally sideswiped his mirror. When he reached out to fix it, a man on a second scooter rode by and snatched the watch right off his wrist.

It's unclear how the watch made it to Clearwater or how many times it has been sold in the 10 years it was stolen.

Laboni and his family on Friday flew to Florida, then drove to Clearwater Police headquarters, where Det. Brian Whitehead handed the watch to a grateful Laboni, who thought it was long gone.

Alberto Laboni and his family flew in to Florida and drove to Clearwater to pick up the watch stolen from him 10 years ago. (Clearwater Police)
Alberto Laboni and his family flew in to Florida and drove to Clearwater to pick up the watch stolen from him 10 years ago. (Clearwater Police)