Thieves stole the guard from Dodgers pitcher Buehler's arm, cops say

LOS ANGELES – Thieves surrounded Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler outside a horse racing track in suburban Los Angeles last month and ripped an expensive watch from his arm, police said Tuesday.

Buehler was not threatened during the Sept. 28 robbery at Santa Anita Park Racecourse in Arcadia, police there said. They are investigating two similar incidents on the same day that officials said came from organized groups stealing high-end watches at large crowd events.

Buehler was at the track that day with his wife, McKenzie, and a teammate, starter Jack Flaherty, to attend the inaugural California Crown races. Buehler is from Lexington, Kentucky and is a big fan of horse racing.

On the way from the paddock to his seat, Buehler “unknowingly became the victim of the theft of his watch,” his agency, Excel Sports Management, said in a statement.

“We are grateful that Walker and McKenzie were not injured and Walker is focused on the playoffs,” the agency said.

The Dodgers declined to comment and referred the media to Arcadia police.

Police arrested a 24-year-old Los Angeles man in one of three robberies investigated that day. According to police, the value of the stolen watches was $100,000 for one and $250,000 for the other. They didn't say which one was from Buehler.

The theft occurred days after Buehler's final regular-season game and a week before the Dodgers began their National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres on Saturday. Buehler is scheduled to start Game 3 of the series against the Padres on Tuesday night in San Diego.

It was the second time this year that professional athletes were attacked in California.

On August 31, San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall was walking alone to his car after shopping at luxury stores in San Francisco's Union Square when he was the suspected target of an attempted robbery by a teenager who was targeting his Rolex watch and other expensive jewelry. prosecutors said.

A struggle ensued and shots from the teenager struck both Pearsall and the teenager, who was shot in the arm. Officials said Pearsall was shot through the chest at close range. His mother, Erin Pearsall, posted on social media that the bullet passed through the right side of her son's chest and exited his back without hitting any vital organs. He was released from the hospital a day later.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.