jewellery valued at over £10 million from a residence in North London has raised significant concerns regarding security and crime in affluent neighborhoods. On December 7, 2024, a lone burglar infiltrated a home located on Avenue Road in Primrose Hill by entering through a second-floor window. The heist, which lasted only 19 minutes, resulted in the loss of bespoke pieces from renowned brands including De Beers and Van Cleef & Arpels, as well as designer handbags worth £150,000 . This incident underscores the vulnerability of high-value properties to criminal activities.
Avenue Road – one of the most exclusive addresses in the British capital.
The burglar entered the property through a second-floor window around 5 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET) on December 7 while the residents were not home, police said in a Monday press release.
“The burglar made-off with £150,000 worth of Hermes Crocodile Kelly handbags, £15,000 in cash and £10.4m of bespoke jewelry,” the police said.
About eight people, including staff and some family members, were in the five-storey mansion at the time. The family are originally from Hong Kong.
Hermès Crocodile Kelly handbags, £15,000 in cash, and bespoke jewellery worth £10.4m.
Among the jewels was a Graff 10.73-carat diamond ring, two butterfly diamond rings by De Beers, a Hermès 3.03-carat ring, aquamarine ring and “Niloticus Lumière” necklace, as well as numerous other items including pink sapphire earrings from Katherine Wang shaped like butterflies, police said.
Avenue Road is one of the most expensive streets in the UK, with an average house price of £15.2m, according to recent research by Lloyds Bank.
The nature of the stolen items highlights not only their monetary value but also their cultural significance. Unique jewellery pieces such as a Graff diamond ring and various designer handbags are emblematic of wealth and status . The specific targeting of such items suggests that the perpetrator had prior knowledge about the property and its contents. This raises critical questions about how luxury goods are secured within private residences and what measures can be implemented to deter similar crimes in the future.
In response to this brazen act, law enforcement has released CCTV footage and is offering a substantial reward for information leading to both the recovery of the stolen items and the arrest of the suspect . The homeowners have further incentivized public assistance by offering a £500,000 reward for credible information. Such community engagement efforts are vital for enhancing safety in high-risk areas while also fostering cooperative relationships between residents and law enforcement agencies.
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