Video shows social media influencer "The Watch King" attacked and robbed in Queens
The NYPD is searching for a group of men who robbed a popular social media influencer known for selling luxury watches.
The disturbing attack last week was captured on surveillance outside victim Moshe Haimoff's home in the Utopia section of Queens. He told CBS News New York's Andrew Ramos he now believes he was set up.
Attack on "The Watch King" captured on video
Haimoff, better known as "The Watch King" to his 1.6 million followers on Instagram, said he was getting into his car on Wednesday at around 10 a.m., when he was approached by a masked man wearing a construction vest and armed with a stun gun.
The encounter was captured on surveillance video.
"He shoots the gun, hits me in my leg, my right leg. The one, the second bolt, missed, and hit my belt," the 39-year-old jeweler said.
At that moment, Haimoff says he made a run for it, but, as the footage shows, he was tackled on his lawn by the suspect. Then a second masked man appears and pins him down.
"Within 30 seconds, they took my watch, they took chains off my neck. Now, my chain has a logo that says 'Watch King.' The logo they threw back at me," Haimoff said.
That logo is part of his brand and has made Haimoff popular online as a sought-after luxury watch dealer. He has a shop in Manhattan's Diamond District.
Police said the suspects got away in a waiting vehicle driven by a third accomplice.
"I believe I was targeted"
As police continue to search for the suspects, Haimoff says he thinks he was set up by someone he knows.
"I believe I was targeted. I want to know who set me up because my neighbor left the house two minutes before me and they didn't touch him," Haimoff said.
While he lost more than $550,000 in jewelry, Haimoff walked away with just minor injuries.
"God gave me a second chance at life and I'm grateful. It could have been worse, could have been way worse," he said.
Haimoff said he has hired round-the-clock security and will continue doing what he loves.
"I'm just gonna go stronger and better. I'm gonna keep on putting [out] content. I'm gonna keep on talking about what I do. I'm gonna keep on going, and, you know, they are not going to stop me from doing what my goal is," he said.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip or via DM on Twitter, . All calls are kept confidential.
