Jan Bednarek's stolen €150,000 Rolex recovered at luxury shop in Miami

Discovery in Florida

Portuguese police have tracked a luxury Rolex watch stolen from Polish international defender Jan Bednarek to a premium retail shop in Miami, Florida. The recovery was announced by Portuguese police deputy commissioner João Soeima during a security session dedicated to the jewelry industry at the PortoJóia trade fair in Porto. Portuguese investigators first identified the location of the timepiece in August 2026, four months after the theft took place. Portuguese authorities determined that the criminal ring moved the luxury watch outside Portugal's borders shortly after the break-in at the footballer's residence. The tracking and recovery of the watch in the United States was carried out through cross-border coordination between international law enforcement agencies.

The break-in in Porto

The burglary took place at Bednarek's residence in the Foz neighborhood of Porto in May 2026, with Portuguese sources citing 7 or 8 May, while initial police reports referenced 8 March. The Polish central defender returned home from an evening event with his wife and young daughter, encountering three intruders inside the property. During the encounter, one of the perpetrators threatened Bednarek and his family with a bladed weapon. The intruders fled the scene after taking luxury items with an estimated total value of €150,000. Among the stolen property were two luxury watches including the recovered Rolex, two gold wedding rings, and three Cartier bracelets. Police investigations established that at least five individuals participated in the operation, with two accomplices assisting the three intruders who entered the house.

Cross-border criminal rings

Portuguese police described the burglary as part of a wider pattern of activity by organized transnational theft networks operating across the European continent. Deputy commissioner Soeima explained that mobile criminal gangs frequently visit Portugal to carry out targeted thefts of high-value goods before moving the stolen merchandise abroad. He also noted that Bednarek was not the only professional footballer in Porto targeted by such groups, referencing a previous incident involving FC Porto forward Deniz Gül.

Recently there was a robbery of a footballer, not the latest involving Deniz Gül, but the previous one involving Jan Bednarek, and the watch stolen from him in Porto was found in Miami. This shows the dynamics of crime in this region. Across Europe there are mobile groups, some originating from Latin America, others from Georgia, Albania, Serbia, Croatia, and northern Italy, that visit our country.

Investigators noted that stolen luxury goods are rapidly exported through international distribution networks to evade European law enforcement detection.

Sporting context at FC Porto

Bednarek joined FC Porto in July 2025 following a transfer from English club Southampton FC, establishing himself as a regular starter in the Portuguese league. The 2026–2027 campaign marks his second consecutive season as a central defensive figure for the Portuguese champions. In the Porto defense, Bednarek plays alongside fellow Polish international defender Jakub Kiwior. The squad also features 18-year-old Polish forward Oskar Pietuszewski, who has recently returned to full training after recovering from a muscle injury. All three Polish players are available for selection for Sunday's league fixture against Benfica at the Estádio do Dragão.