Jenna Lee (@jennasyap), an Austin, Texas-based content creator, said she stayed at the Faena Hotel in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami. But her stay was anything but relaxing.
The social media user said an Audemars Piguet Mini Royal Oak watch was stolen from her hotel room by the hotel’s staff. She added that it happened while she was at the hotel’s spa, and that her hotel room was “serviced” while she was gone.
As of this writing, her post has more than 680,000 views. Here’s what she said happened to her watch.
The Missing AP Royal Oak Watch
Lee said the watch, which she stored inside her Faena Hotel suite, was taken at some point while the room was being serviced.
She told her audience that she was “gaslit by the staff.” According to her, the hotel let her know that it interviewed everyone who was on shift that day. She said the hotel separately concluded that no one working took it.
She filed a police report, but she said the hotel and law enforcement have not given her any answers.
An Update From Lee
More than a week after her initial post, Lee revealed that law enforcement and the hotel have not located her watch. But she said she has various people helping her try to find it.
“My only update for you is, no, I don’t have my watch back,” she said. “I’m very glad that I posted this on the internet because it has given me a lot of information that I am going to need moving forward.”
Viewers gave Lee more advice in the comments section. One person, for instance, told her to hire a detective.
“Hire a detective. A friend of mine had her Rolex stolen by a housekeeper’s helper and her cousin is a detective and was able to track it down,” they said.
But for now, Lee hasn’t been able to determine who specifically took the watch.
Hotel Liability And ‘Bailment’
Some viewers questioned how Lee could proceed. After all, if the watch was truly stolen at the Faena Hotel, would the hotel even be liable?
The answer depends.
Legal experts refer to the concept of a hotel being liable for lost possessions as “innkeeper’s liability.” According to LegalMatch, many hotels and chains specifically pay for insurance to cover guests’ lost or damaged property while they stay on the hotel premises.
In certain states, hotels can be liable under “bailment.” LegalMatch says that “Bailment occurs when a guest must leave their luggage in the care of the hotel before checking in or after checking in for safekeeping. Should the luggage be damaged or stolen while in the care of the hotel, the hotel may be liable for the total amount of losses.”
In total, though, it depends on the laws in the area. LegalMatch recommends that individuals who encounter theft while staying at a hotel consult with a lawyer to understand whether a hotel is truly liable. Lee has publicly stated she believes the hotel is responsible for the theft. But there’s no evidence to conclude that the hotel was directly responsible or that an employee stole the watch.
Outside of recommendations to seek legal counsel, some viewers advised her to put insurance on any future pieces she purchases.
“When you buy a 90k timepiece you put insurance on it. PERIOD,” one viewer said on her original video.
@jennasyap STAY AWAY FROM THE FAENA HOTEL IN SOUTH BEACH MIAMI
♬ original sound – Jenna Yaps
Subplot News reached out to Lee via TikTok direct message and Faena Hotel via press form for comment.
