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London, UK--In a recent report, Rolex was identified as 2022's most coveted target among thieves targeting luxury watches. According to The Watch Register's statistics, a staggering 7,000 Swiss-made watches were stolen last year, marking a 60% spike from 2021.

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The collective value of stolen luxury timepieces reached $1.3 billion, as reported by The Watch Register, a London-based entity that assists in identifying stolen watches. Rolex accounted for a dominating 44% of all registered thefts in 2022, they shared with Bloomberg.

Other high-end brands were also on thieves' radars: Omega came in second, representing 7% of the thefts. Breitling (6%), Tag Heuer (5%), and Cartier (4%) followed suit. Patek Philippe's exquisite pieces contributed 3% of that year's total thefts.

Founded in 2016, The Watch Register has recorded 80,000 thefts of pre-owned luxury timepieces. Originally a part of the Art Loss Register – the world's leading database of stolen art – the organization sheds light on the skyrocketing demand that has spiked global crime rates involving these expensive pieces.

Noteworthy incidents include the theft of $2.5 million worth of luxury watches from a Staten Island store and the high-profile robbery of California Judge Kevin Murphy, who lost his Rolex, among other belongings, to armed assailants.

To counteract the increasing thefts, Paris and London have both initiated special police units targeting watch-related crimes. Notably, 667 Rolex watches were taken in London within the first nine months of 2022. Prominent figures, like England's footballer Raheem Sterling and cyclist Mark Cavendish, weren't exempt from these crimes.

Learn more in the entire report published New York Post.