In Astana, an unusual theft of a collection of expensive watches belonging to former Almaty mayor Bauyrzhan Baibek is under investigation. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Journalist Mikhail Kozachkov reported on his Telegram channel that a 31-year-old man named Nurbolat, an assistant to the assistant of the former official, is involved in the theft. The man carried out various errands and knew well where valuables were stored in the house.

When Baibek and his family left the country, Nurbolat took spare keys from the service car and entered the house. He decided not just to take the watches, but to replace the originals with copies.

According to Kozachkov, watches of the brands Breguet, Blancpain, Hublot, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and A. Lange & Söhne were stolen in this way. The journalist estimates the total value of the collection at approximately 90 million tenge.

The owners discovered the substitution after returning home and contacted the police.

The Astana police department confirmed the information, but without details.

"In connection with the theft of watches, police detained a 31-year-old suspect. A criminal case has been initiated. The investigation is ongoing," the capital's police department told Kursiv.

All five brands belong to the premium segment. For example, the Hublot Classic Fusion Black Magic costs about $10,700 from major official retailers.

The new limited-edition Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 2026 costs $18,300.

For Breguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre, the cost of individual models is also in the tens of thousands of dollars, and complex versions can cost significantly more. A. Lange & Söhne belongs to an even more expensive segment: the price of some models on the secondary market reaches tens of thousands of dollars and above.

However, the exact value of the stolen watches can only be determined after identifying the specific models and their condition.

The story raised another question among social media users: how did a former official amass a collection of watches of such value?