Man steals $2m worth of designer watches from Australia's Chadstone Shopping Centre

The man smashed through cabinets and stole 30 luxury watches from inside the store.
The man smashed through cabinets and stole 30 luxury watches from inside the store. Photo credit: Getty Images

Australian police are searching for a man who stole $2 million worth of designer watches from the country's largest mall. 

The man broke into Melbourne's Chadstone Shopping Centre at 3am on Sunday, dressed in black and wearing an orange hi-vis jacket and a mask. 

He accessed the mall through the loading dock area at the back of the building, according to 7News. 

Once inside, he headed for a luxury store that stocks high-end brands including Cartier, Rolex, Franck Muller and Dolce and Gabbana. 

There the man smashed through cabinets and grabbed 30 luxury watches, including designer brands totalling about $2 million. 

The smash-and-grab lasted only four minutes and was captured on a CCTV system.

Police believe the heist was pulled off by someone familiar with the mall and store's layout, as the man knew exactly where he was going, how to get in and which products to take. 

Purchasing a Rolex watch can take years due to high demand, and has a resale value between 50 percent and 75 percent of the retail price.