A group of thieves surrounded at least three Santa Anita Park visitors, including Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, and slipped off their wristwatches in a series of distraction thefts at the racetrack in Arcadia, California.
In each case reported in late September, the victim was walking in a large crowd at the park east of Los Angeles when they were approached by the thieves, some of whom distracted the victim as an accomplice removed the watch.
Buehler, who is scheduled to start Game 3 of the Dodgers' National League Division Series Tuesday night in San Diego, was at the horse racing track Sept. 27 with his wife McKenzie when he was robbed, Excel Sports Management said in a statement. Thieves surrounded Buehler and took the pricey wristwatch from his arm.
"While walking from the paddock to their seats, Walker was unknowingly the victim of a snatch and grab robbery of his watch," Excel Sports Management said in the statement. "The incident was reported to police and is currently under investigation. We are grateful Walker and McKenzie were not harmed and Walker is focused on the playoffs."
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Buehler, who grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, has a micro-share ownership in Authentic, the 2020 Kentucky Derby champion. He was at the track with other players who did not travel to Colorado for the Dodgers' final series of the season, Excel Sports Management said.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked Tuesday about the robbery.
"It happened a couple of weeks ago, so it's old news for Walker," said Roberts. "I'm happy that he's safe, but it just keeps us all on alert that things like this can happy. What a scary time.
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"You can always replace a watch, but it wasn't a cheap watch."
One of the watches targeted in the robberies was estimated at about $100,000. Another was valued at $250,000, police said
Arcadia police issued a news release Tuesday with details about the three distraction robberies reported on the same weekend at Santa Anita Park. In one theft, the victim was walking with a large group when the thieves surrounded them.
"While the movement of the victim was limited, one of the suspects was able to remove the victim's watch from their wrist," the Arcadia Police Department said in a statement.
The victim did not realize the watch was missing until the thieves left the area, police said. There was no indication that the thieves threatened the victim during the theft.
A similar crime was reported by another person later that same day. The victim in that case did not notice the watch was missing until several hours later, police said.
In a third case that day, the victim was approached by a group of thieves, one of whom attempted to hug the victim. A second thief began to remove their watch, but the victim noticed.
"The victim felt his watch being removed and confronted the suspects, who immediately left the area," police said.
The man notified park security and police, who took one person into custody. The 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grand theft and being in possession of a fraudulent social security cards
“We are fully cooperating with the Arcadia Police Department’s investigation," Santa Anita Park said in a statement.
