US President Theodore Roosevelt's favorite pocket watch, stolen under mysterious circumstances 37 years ago, has been found in the US, writes the “New York Post“, NOVA reported.
The watch, given to the politician by his sister in 1898, was stolen by unknown persons in 1987 in Buffalo, New York. The historical artifact was exhibited at the Presidential Memorial in the Wilcox Mansion. Later it turned out that the watch was in an unlocked glass case, as the organizers “were not worried” about the safety of the exhibition. The disappearance of Roosevelt's personal belongings has become a real mystery for investigators. The FBI became involved in the investigation, but the case was ultimately closed.
In early 2023, a collector offered the watch at auction in Florida. Experts confirmed the authenticity of the artifact and valued it at $500,000. They notified authorities that the stolen item had been found. In March 2023, the watch was confiscated. However, no arrests were made in the case, and the identity of the thief was never established.
The special ceremony for the return of the watch was attended by President Tweed Roosevelt's 82-year-old great-grandson. He stated that the pocket watch was the politician's favorite item, "the object he had owned the longest."
It is believed that after checking the time with this watch, Theodore Roosevelt ordered American troops to begin the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The United States won this battle, and subsequently occupied Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, which had belonged to Spain since the 16th century.