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Watch Repair Shop Claimed My Inherited Watch Was Stolen, But I Found Them Secretly Selling It At Auction

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Location: Illinois. I have a vintage 1960s Omega watch that I inherited years ago. It has a very distinct custom engraving on the back case. Two months ago, I took it to an independant watchmaker in my city for routine servicing.

A week later, the owner called me. He claimed his shop was burgalized overnight. He provided a police report number, stated my watch was among the stolen items, and said his business insurance would contact me to issue a check for the base market value. I was heartbroken but believed him.

Yesterday, I was browsing a specialized online auction site and saw a listing for a watch that perfectly matched mine. I messaged the seller asking for a clear photo of the back. They sent it, and it clearly shows the exact custom engraving of my family name.

I looked up the corporate records for the auction seller account. It is an LLC registered to the wife of the watchmaker who supposedly lost my watch.

The auction ends in 48 hours. I went to the local police, but the desk officer dismissed it as a "civil matter" because I willingly handed the watch over to the business originally. How do I legally freeze this auction and get my actual property back? Do I need to file for an emergency injuction?

submitted by /u/G0kuPebble
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