Thief Uses Apple Watch Lost on Disney World Ride to Rack Up $40,000 in Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

An Apple Watch lost by a woman while on a ride at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT theme park took an unexpected turn when the thief who found it knew that the tap-to-pay function did not require the connected iPhone or iPad. So, they started racking up charges, approximately $40,000 USD in all, with the linked American Express card found in Apple Wallet.

There was an effort made to retrieve the pricey Apple Watch Hermes Edition, but employees manning the ‘Seas with Nemo’ attraction quickly ushered her husband back into the ride vehicle. Apparently, the Apple Watch found its way through a grated hole, as the woman was able to see the device, but employees told her that it would be retrieved and returned to her hotel. However, you probably won’t be seeing an employee losing an Apple Watch prototype anytime soon.

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[The victim] stated that she and her family were on the ‘Seas with Nemo’ ride [the day before]. [The victim] indicated that the ride was in an elevated position and at the same time she was ‘fidgeting’ with her wristwatch (Apple iWatch Hermes valued at $1,300). According to [the victim], her watch ‘popped’ off and fell through the grated floor of the ride. [The victim] advised that the watch landed on a pathway below the ride,” said the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.