CrimeJul 23, 2025
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‘The Watch King’ Assaulted, Robbed in Queens
Moshe Haimoff, a social media personality and 47th Street retailer, was robbed of $559,000 worth of jewelry by men in construction outfits.
This surveillance image shows one of the individuals who robbed “The Watch King” on July 23. (Image courtesy of the NYPD)
New York—The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the three individuals connected to the robbery of “The Watch King.”
Moshe Haimoff, known as “The Watch King” on Instagram, runs a store of the same name in New York City’s Diamond District.
He gained social media fame, racking up 1.6 million followers, working with celebrity clients like Pete Davidson.
On July 23 around 10 a.m., Haimoff was outside of his home in the Utopia neighborhood in Queens, New York, walking to his car.
He was approached by two individuals, according to police. Surveillance images show the suspects dressed up as construction workers.
One man hit Haimoff with a stun gun, then the other forced him onto the ground.
The two suspects then began to remove Haimoff’s jewelry.
A third individual drove the getaway vehicle, identified as a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV.
The value of the stolen jewelry is approximately $559,000, said police.
Haimoff sustained minor injuries, including a laceration and bruising to the wrist and neck, and he was transported by EMS to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital in stable condition.
“Thank God I’m alive,” he said in an interview with The New York Post. “That’s all that matters.”
Haimoff told the Post that he believes he was targeted.
Related stories will be right here …
Moshe Haimoff, known as “The Watch King” on Instagram, runs a store of the same name in New York City’s Diamond District.
He gained social media fame, racking up 1.6 million followers, working with celebrity clients like Pete Davidson.
On July 23 around 10 a.m., Haimoff was outside of his home in the Utopia neighborhood in Queens, New York, walking to his car.
He was approached by two individuals, according to police. Surveillance images show the suspects dressed up as construction workers.
This surveillance image shows a second suspect dressed up like a construction worker. (Image courtesy of the NYPD)
One man hit Haimoff with a stun gun, then the other forced him onto the ground.
The two suspects then began to remove Haimoff’s jewelry.
A third individual drove the getaway vehicle, identified as a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV.
The value of the stolen jewelry is approximately $559,000, said police.
Police said a third individual drove the getaway vehicle, seen here. (Image courtesy of the NYPD)
Haimoff sustained minor injuries, including a laceration and bruising to the wrist and neck, and he was transported by EMS to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital in stable condition.
“Thank God I’m alive,” he said in an interview with The New York Post. “That’s all that matters.”
Haimoff told the Post that he believes he was targeted.
Police described one of the suspects as a man, last seen wearing an orange and yellow striped reflective vest, a bucket hat, brown pants, black shoes, a white mask, and black gloves.
The second suspect, also said to be a man, was last seen wearing a yellow striped reflective vest, a black hat, black pants, black shoes, and black gloves.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). All calls are confidential.
Tips can also be submitted via the Crime Stoppers website or on X to NYPDTips.
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