Las Vegas man charged in $140K Strip watch theft

A Las Vegas man has been charged in the theft of $140,000 worth of watches on the Las Vegas Strip in what authorities described as an organized crime retail theft ring.

The Metropolitan Police Department said Joseph Jackson, 39, was one of two people initially arrested after police said a man and woman entered the Philipp Plein luxury fashion store inside The Shops at Crystals, 3720 Las Vegas Boulevard South, on Wednesday afternoon. Police said the man and woman entered the store, distracted a store employee, and then the man stole three watches that were on display.

The watches stolen were identified as a Crypto King Gold Goliath watch worth $29,800 and two Crypto King Flying Tourbillon watches worth $55,200 each.

Police said they recovered video surveillance showing both the theft and the two later getting into a cab outside Aria. Video from inside the cab was also recovered.

“While holding and wearing the watches, the male shows the female one of the watches price tags as to celebrate on the value of what he stole,” police said.

Police tracked the pair down at the intersection of Resorts World and Sammy Davis Jr. drives. The woman was arrested without incident, but the man fled on foot. He was later found hiding in some nearby bushes and arrested. Police said the man was wearing one of the watches at the time and the two others were found in his pocket.

Court records show Jackson is charged with participating in an organized retail theft ring, theft value $100,000 or greater and using another person’s identification to avoid or delay prosecution. Police said Jackson was also wanted at the time on an unrelated warrant in Clark County charging him with battery causing substantial bodily harm.

After reviewing evidence in the case, Clark County prosecutors chose not to pursue charges against the woman. She denied knowing that the man she was with planned to steal anything.

Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com.