Jay Slater, the missing British teenager, allegedly admitted to friends that he had stolen a £12,000 Rolex watch and was attempting to sell it just hours before his disappearance, according to former detective Mark Williams-Thomas. The claim was made public by Williams-Thomas, who is investigating the 19-year-old’s case.
Williams-Thomas, known for his investigative work, posted an update on X on Wednesday morning, revealing that Slater had sent a Snapchat message to friends in the early hours of June 17, confessing to the theft of the luxury timepiece. Although initially reported as a Rolex, a screenshot suggests it may have been an Audemars Piguet (AP) watch.
The TV detective mentioned that Slater was en route to the rented Casa Abuela Tina Airbnb near the village of Masca with two older British men when he made the revelation. While Williams-Thomas has not been able to verify the theft, he stated that Slater’s friends believe the teenager would not have fabricated such a story.
This information was made public to address the significant interest in the case and to correct inaccuracies in previous reports. Williams-Thomas, who also exposed the crimes of Jimmy Savile, noted that Slater had been in contact with friends via social media while at the Airbnb property. One Snapchat picture, sent at 7:30 am, showed Slater on the steps of the cottage holding a cigarette.
Slater was last seen around 8 am, attempting to return to his holiday accommodation. After learning that the next bus to Los Cristianos was not until 10 am, he set off on foot, embarking on what would have been an 11-hour walk. The Airbnb owner last saw him walking uphill in the wrong direction.
Williams-Thomas reported that Slater spoke to at least three friends while walking back, expressing that he was lost. Friend Lucy Law recalled a call from Slater saying he was thirsty, had no water, and his phone battery was nearly dead. Another friend, Brad Hargreaves, mentioned Slater believed he had veered off the main road and may have slipped on rocks.
Slater sent his location to friends at 8:49 am and 8:50 am, showing him on a hiking trail in the Rural de Teno park. He has not been seen or heard from since. Williams-Thomas suggested that Slater left the holiday home feeling scared and refused to return, despite it being the sensible option where he could have charged his phone, gotten water, and contacted friends.
The two men who were with Slater have spoken to the police before returning to the UK. Spanish police have indicated that these men are not relevant to the investigation.