Expensive watches have gone missing from the apartment of former mayor of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek in Astana. His wife, Zhanar Baibek, contacted law enforcement, valuing the 8 missing chronographs at 170 million tenge.
WHAT IS KNOWN
According to the Telegram channel "Kozachkov offside", 45-year-old Zhanar Baibek stated in her report that in March 2022 she left Kazakhstan with her children. She subsequently returned to the country in 2024, and then left again.
Upon her return, the woman discovered the watches were missing. There is no information about Bauyrzhan Baibek himself returning to Kazakhstan. In March 2025, he was spotted in Japan.
WHO HAD ACCESS TO THE APARTMENT
During the investigation, law enforcement identified 31-year-old Nurbolat, who had access to the Baibek family's apartment in one of Astana's elite residential complexes.
During questioning, he confessed to swapping the original watches with copies. However, the man admitted to swapping only 4 of the items, whereas the report concerns the disappearance of 8 chronographs.
WHAT THE INVESTIGATION IS ESTABLISHING
The suspect also stated that he sold the watches to a buyer. A smartphone was seized from the latter, in which correspondence was found confirming the sale of 6 chronographs.
Thus, the investigation is establishing the exact number of missing watches and the extent of the damage caused.
Among the brands mentioned are Breguet, Blancpain, Hublot, Jaeger-LeCoultre and A. Lange & Söhne.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
The suspect has been placed in a detention centre. He is charged with theft on an especially large scale.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. Only a court can give a final legal assessment of the circumstances of the case.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT BAIBEK'S WIFE
In October 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev released Zhanar Baibek from her position as judge of the Astana city court — at her own request. She had held the post since 2018.
Zhanar Baibek defended a dissertation on "Criminological, criminal law and social problems of punishments in the Republic of Kazakhstan". According to its abstract, among the proposals for improving criminal policy in the work was a form of punishment such as "exile or banishment" for corrupt officials.
