The Oakland Police Department says it has seen a significant increase in Rolex watch robberies, and currently investigating 20 instances since the beginning of the year.
In most cases, armed individuals are threatening people and forcibly remove their watches from their wrists.
The police have had some successes. On August 16, OPD officers executed multiple search warrants in Oakland and neighboring Bay Area cities.
They arrested two individuals and recovered two firearms with extended magazines, and a Rolex watch in connection with the crimes.
Despite the arrests, OPD says robberies are still happening throughout the Bay Area and has issued advice on how to reduce the risk of harm; urging people not to resist if they are attacked and to pay attention to the description of the individual or vehicle.
The force says it is deploying more officers in the areas of Oakland, where there is an increase in armed robberies.