Barcelona Open star robbed of £62k watch while driving by gang ‘targeting tennis players’ | Tennis | Sport

Grigor Dimitrov was robbed of his £62,500 (€70,000) watch while driving in Barcelona ahead of next week’s ATP 500 event. The world No 25 was reportedly targeted by a gang of thieves who are said to be in Barcelona specifically to earmark tennis players competing at the prestigious event.

Dimitrov was mugged while driving himself back from training on Friday night, according to El Caso. The eight-time title winner was allegedly being followed by a group of thieves on motorcycles who remained undetected until they approached his car.

One of the robbers was said to have come close enough to close the wing mirror of the Bulgarian’s car, prompting him to roll down the window and stick his hand out to fix it. And his £62k Bianchet brand watch was ripped off his wrist in the process.

The 32-year-old originally decided not to stop the car or call 112 – Spain’s equivalent of 999 – but a few moments later he walked into the Mossos d’Esquadra police station to file a complaint. There are now reported threats to other tennis players competing in Barcelona following claims that the thieves were from a gang specifically targeting the tournament.

The thieves in question have not yet been located, and Dimitrov’s watch has not been recovered. But it has been alleged that those close to the investigation believe the robbery was the work of a gang who travelled to the Spanish city especially to target the tournament.

According to the Mossos d’Esquadra, the robbery does not involve “the usual local thieves” seen in the centre of Barcelona. Marca also reported that the police squad opened an investigation crime of robbery with violence to arrest the perpetrators of the robbery, which remains open.