Watch the video: President's watch stolen
Bush's Watch Goes Missing While In Albania
One moment President George W. Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, proudly sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist. Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it? Or did one of the Albanian thieves artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
The Albanian media and international Web sites is buzzing with video showing Bush's wrist watch apparently disappearing while he was shaking hands with people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
Bush was clearly delighted by the attention and plunged back into the crowd for more handshaking and to be kissed on the cheek.
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
The president's watch is missing?
Tirana, Albania - Whatever happened to the president's watch?
One moment President Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, proudly sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist.
Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it? Or did one of the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
Albanian media - and international Web sites - are buzzing over a video showing Bush's wrist watch apparently disappearing while he shakes hands with a jostling crowd of people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
But White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush's watch was not stolen by someone in the crowd. "The president put it in his pocket and it returned safely home," Snow said
People waiting on the sidewalks Sunday gave Bush a rapturous welcome, shaking hands with him, grabbing him by the arms and wrists, reaching out to embrace him and even ruffling his hair.
Bush was clearly delighted by the attention and plunged back into the crowd for more hand shaking and to be kissed on the cheek.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues close to Bush bend down and pick up the watch from the ground.
The Top Channel private TV station showed how one of his bodyguards may have spoken with the president and then taken the watch from his hand.
Bush's visit to the tiny Balkan country, the first ever by a U.S. president, was considered as historic.
Albania issued three postage stamps with Bush's picture and the Statue of Liberty, renamed a street in front of parliament in his honor, awarded him the highest National Flag medal, and the Fushe Kruje town council declared him an honored citizen.
One moment President Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, proudly sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist.
Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it? Or did one of the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
Albanian media - and international Web sites - are buzzing over a video showing Bush's wrist watch apparently disappearing while he shakes hands with a jostling crowd of people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
But White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush's watch was not stolen by someone in the crowd. "The president put it in his pocket and it returned safely home," Snow said
People waiting on the sidewalks Sunday gave Bush a rapturous welcome, shaking hands with him, grabbing him by the arms and wrists, reaching out to embrace him and even ruffling his hair.
Bush was clearly delighted by the attention and plunged back into the crowd for more hand shaking and to be kissed on the cheek.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues close to Bush bend down and pick up the watch from the ground.
The Top Channel private TV station showed how one of his bodyguards may have spoken with the president and then taken the watch from his hand.
Bush's visit to the tiny Balkan country, the first ever by a U.S. president, was considered as historic.
Albania issued three postage stamps with Bush's picture and the Statue of Liberty, renamed a street in front of parliament in his honor, awarded him the highest National Flag medal, and the Fushe Kruje town council declared him an honored citizen.
Where's the president's watch?
Whatever happened to the president's watch? One moment President Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, proudly sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist. Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it? Or did one of the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
The United States Embassy in Albania on Tuesday emphatically denied that Bush's watch was stolen during his visit to the country, where he was acclaimed as a hero. Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman, said the president had his watch again but did not say what happened to it in Albania.
The Albanian media - and international Web sites - is buzzing with video showing Bush's wrist watch apparently disappearing while he was shaking hands with people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
"What the local media is saying is absolutely not true," said an embassy official, who declined to be named.
People waiting on the sidewalks on Sunday gave Bush a rapturous welcome, shaking hands with him, grabbing him by the arms and wrists, reaching out to embrace him and even ruffling his hair.
Bush was clearly delighted by the attention and plunged back into the crowd for more hand shaking and to be kissed on the cheek.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues close to Bush bend down and pick up the watch.
The Top Channel private TV station showed how one of his bodyguards may have spoken with the president and then taken the watch from his hand.
Bush's visit to the tiny Balkan country, the first ever by a U.S. president, was considered as historic.
Albania issued three postage stamps with Bush's picture and the Statue of Liberty, renamed a street in front of parliament in his honor, awarded him the highest National Flag medal and Fushe Kruje town council also declared him an honored citizen.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it? Or did one of the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
The United States Embassy in Albania on Tuesday emphatically denied that Bush's watch was stolen during his visit to the country, where he was acclaimed as a hero. Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman, said the president had his watch again but did not say what happened to it in Albania.
The Albanian media - and international Web sites - is buzzing with video showing Bush's wrist watch apparently disappearing while he was shaking hands with people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
"What the local media is saying is absolutely not true," said an embassy official, who declined to be named.
People waiting on the sidewalks on Sunday gave Bush a rapturous welcome, shaking hands with him, grabbing him by the arms and wrists, reaching out to embrace him and even ruffling his hair.
Bush was clearly delighted by the attention and plunged back into the crowd for more hand shaking and to be kissed on the cheek.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues close to Bush bend down and pick up the watch.
The Top Channel private TV station showed how one of his bodyguards may have spoken with the president and then taken the watch from his hand.
Bush's visit to the tiny Balkan country, the first ever by a U.S. president, was considered as historic.
Albania issued three postage stamps with Bush's picture and the Statue of Liberty, renamed a street in front of parliament in his honor, awarded him the highest National Flag medal and Fushe Kruje town council also declared him an honored citizen.
Now you see it, now you don’t
The president’s naked wrist, sans watch, gives speculators something to speculate about.
TIRANA, Albania | Whatever happened to the president’s watch?
One moment, President Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist. Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it?
Or did one of the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
Albanian media — and international Web sites — are buzzing over a video showing Bush’s wristwatch apparently disappearing while he shakes hands with a jostling crowd of people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
Bush’s watch was not stolen by someone in the crowd, White House spokesman Tony Snow said Tuesday.
“The president put it in his pocket and it returned safely home,” Snow said.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press that he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues close to Bush bend down and pick up the watch from the ground.
The Top Channel private TV station showed how one of Bush’s bodyguards may have spoken with the president and then taken the watch from his hand.
TIRANA, Albania | Whatever happened to the president’s watch?
One moment, President Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist. Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it?
Or did one of the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist and pocket it?
Albanian media — and international Web sites — are buzzing over a video showing Bush’s wristwatch apparently disappearing while he shakes hands with a jostling crowd of people in Fushe Kruje, 15 miles north of Tirana.
Bush’s watch was not stolen by someone in the crowd, White House spokesman Tony Snow said Tuesday.
“The president put it in his pocket and it returned safely home,” Snow said.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press that he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues close to Bush bend down and pick up the watch from the ground.
The Top Channel private TV station showed how one of Bush’s bodyguards may have spoken with the president and then taken the watch from his hand.
Embassy calls time on mystery of Bush's missing watch
The people of Albania so revere George Bush that they prepared for his recent visit by awarding him the country's highest medal, renaming a street, giving him honorary citizenship and mobbing him on arrival. And then one, it seems, stole his watch.
Video footage has emerged showing the President on a recent visit amid a rapturous crowd, gleefully shaking hands with surely one of the most enthusiastic foreign audiences he had met in some time, during which his watch mysteriously disappears from his left arm.
Villagers were said to have lined the streets to shake hands with the President during the visit on Sunday, the first by a US President to the country. Some grabbed him by the arms and wrists, others reached out to hug him, some even ruffled his hair. Mr Bush, delighted by the attention and still wearing his watch, a Timex designed for him and bearing his name, plunged into the crowd. Seconds later the watch was gone.
It was unclear yesterday if it had been stolen or fallen off, or whether Mr Bush had taken it off as a precautionary measure before mingling with the crowds in the farming village of Fushe Kruje, north of the capital, Tirana.
Local media reported it as having been stolen, but embassy officials denied the claim. "What the local media is saying is absolutely not true," an unnamed US embassy official said.
A White House spokesman, Tony Snow, insisted that Mr Bush had put the watch into his pocket for safe keeping. "The President put it in his pocket and it returned safely home", he said.
An Albanian bodyguard accompanying Mr Bush said he had seen one of his American colleagues, standing near to Mr Bush, bend down and pick up the watch.
The television channel Top Channel meanwhile showed how one of the President's bodyguards may have talked to him, before taking the watch from his hand.
Among the Albanian honorifics, three stamps bearing Mr Bush's image were also issued, along with one of New York's Statue of Liberty.
The President's visit was part of tour of Europe which took in a total of six countries, and was considered among his most successful.
Video footage has emerged showing the President on a recent visit amid a rapturous crowd, gleefully shaking hands with surely one of the most enthusiastic foreign audiences he had met in some time, during which his watch mysteriously disappears from his left arm.
Villagers were said to have lined the streets to shake hands with the President during the visit on Sunday, the first by a US President to the country. Some grabbed him by the arms and wrists, others reached out to hug him, some even ruffled his hair. Mr Bush, delighted by the attention and still wearing his watch, a Timex designed for him and bearing his name, plunged into the crowd. Seconds later the watch was gone.
It was unclear yesterday if it had been stolen or fallen off, or whether Mr Bush had taken it off as a precautionary measure before mingling with the crowds in the farming village of Fushe Kruje, north of the capital, Tirana.
Local media reported it as having been stolen, but embassy officials denied the claim. "What the local media is saying is absolutely not true," an unnamed US embassy official said.
A White House spokesman, Tony Snow, insisted that Mr Bush had put the watch into his pocket for safe keeping. "The President put it in his pocket and it returned safely home", he said.
An Albanian bodyguard accompanying Mr Bush said he had seen one of his American colleagues, standing near to Mr Bush, bend down and pick up the watch.
The television channel Top Channel meanwhile showed how one of the President's bodyguards may have talked to him, before taking the watch from his hand.
Among the Albanian honorifics, three stamps bearing Mr Bush's image were also issued, along with one of New York's Statue of Liberty.
The President's visit was part of tour of Europe which took in a total of six countries, and was considered among his most successful.
Mystery over Bush's watch
Reports that US President George Bush had his wristwatch stolen while shaking hands with Albanians on his weekend visit are false, Albanian police and the US embassy said on Tuesday.
"The story is untrue and the President did not lose his watch," a spokesman for the embassy in Tirana said.
Some newspapers, television stations and websites carried reports that Mr Bush's watch vanished on Sunday when he was greeted by ecstatic crowds in Fushe Kruje, outside the capital Tirana.
"It is not true," said Albania's police director, Ahmet Prenci.
Photographs showed Mr Bush, surrounded by five bodyguards, putting his hands behind his back so one of the bodyguards could remove his watch.
Stolen? Lost? Put away? Speculation runs rampant
WASHINGTON - When President George W. Bush began shaking hands with enthusiastic well-wishers in Albania he was wearing a watch. When he stopped a few minutes and dozens of hearty welcomes later, he was not.
What happened to the watch became the subject of intense international speculation yesterday.
The Albanian media and websites, which carried video of the event in Fushe Kruje, about 24 kilometres north of Tirana on Sunday, speculated that the best-protected man in the world had been fleeced. Pictures show the president starting his walk along the crowd with the watch on his left wrist. In the next, a firm hand covers his arm, and in the last, his wrist is bare.
Albania's police chief, perhaps sensitive to his compatriots' reputation for petty crime, moaned: "This is not true."
"The president put it in his pocket and it returned safely home," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
However, none of the footage shows the president removing his watch.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Mr. Bush said he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues from the Secret Service bend down and pick up the watch. Neither explanation is likely to silence the conjecture.
If lost, the watch will not be hard to replace -- it was a $50 Timex. It will be easy to trace however; it is inscribed "George W Bush, President, January 20, 2001."
Several Albanian thieves in the crowd grabbed the president's wrist before the watch disappeared.
What happened to the watch became the subject of intense international speculation yesterday.
The Albanian media and websites, which carried video of the event in Fushe Kruje, about 24 kilometres north of Tirana on Sunday, speculated that the best-protected man in the world had been fleeced. Pictures show the president starting his walk along the crowd with the watch on his left wrist. In the next, a firm hand covers his arm, and in the last, his wrist is bare.
Albania's police chief, perhaps sensitive to his compatriots' reputation for petty crime, moaned: "This is not true."
"The president put it in his pocket and it returned safely home," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
However, none of the footage shows the president removing his watch.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Mr. Bush said he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues from the Secret Service bend down and pick up the watch. Neither explanation is likely to silence the conjecture.
If lost, the watch will not be hard to replace -- it was a $50 Timex. It will be easy to trace however; it is inscribed "George W Bush, President, January 20, 2001."
Several Albanian thieves in the crowd grabbed the president's wrist before the watch disappeared.
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