Nadal's watch thief sentenced to 6 months in jail

The 38 year-old hotel bartender, who stole Rafael Nadal's Richard Mille watch, was sentenced to six months in jail. The watch, worth around 300,000 to 500,000 euros, was stolen from Nadal's hotel room after his victory at the French Open.

The man admitted he entered Nadal's Mélia Royal Alma hotel room twice, the first time moved by curiosity, the second time to steal the watch. He said to the judge that he kept the watch because he felt it could change his life and bring him luck. Unfortunately, the theft actually changed his life: he was fired from his job and will now have to complete time in prison.

Nadal's luxury watch recovered, Hotel barman arrested for theft

Nadal wore the luxury watch at the French Open

A hotel barman was arrested in connection with the theft of Rafael Nadal's Richard Mille luxury watch. The watch, worth around 300,000 to 500,000 euros, was stolen sometime late Monday to early Tuesday, after Nadal's win at the French Open.

According to Sports Illustrated, the 39-year-old barman, who worked at the luxury hotel in Paris' 8th district where Nadal was staying, "used his access key to break into Nadal’s room and abscond with the watch". He was arrested Tuesday evening and "the pricey timepiece was found along a railway track in the southern Paris suburb of Evry", SI adds.

Nadal confirmed the watch was recovered. "They [French Police] did a fantastic work. They found the watch. So, I’m very happy for that.”, the Spanish said to journalists in Halle, where he is playing Gerry Weber Open.

This is the second incident of Nadal losing track of his limited edition watch, which is on loan to him from the watchmaker Richard Mille. In 2010, a timepiece was stolen from his locker room at the Toronto Masters.

Nadal's $500,000 watch stolen from Hotel in Paris

Yesterday in Paris, Nadal sported his valuable timepiece (Photo: FFT/R.Garros)

A $500,000 Richard Mille Tourbillon watch was stolen from Rafael Nadal's hotel room in Paris. According to French newspaper "Le Parisien", this is the watch Nadal was wearing yesterday during the award cerimony at Roland Garros, and has been using during the tournament. The watch was a gift from his sponsor Richard Mille for the French Open. It may be worth around 300,000 to 500,000 euros, just about the same amount as in dollars.

The timepiece is model RM 027, weighing in at a mere 20 grams. "Le Parisien" says that Nadal noticed the timepiece was gone and reported the theft to the local police this Tuesday. Family and everyone close to the player have been giving statements to French Police, which is investigating the case.

Nadal's hotel for the French Open is located in the VIIIe neighborhood in Paris. In 2010, another Richard Mille watch was stolen from Nadal's locker room in the Masters 1000 in Toronto, Canada. The timepiece, just like the one missing today, was worth around half a million dollars.