Gem raid terror on Millionaires’ Row
Mother and eight children cower downstairs as thieves ransack bedroom and grab £2m of jewels
BURGLARS forced their way through a child’s bedroom window and stole jewellery worth more than £2million during a raid on one of Britain’s most affluent streets.
A mother and her eight terrified children were at home when the gang of thieves broke in at around 5pm.
After scaling a rear wall at the £2.6million mansion in Highgate, north London, the burglars locked themselves in the master bedroom and helped themselves to rare jewels, designer clothing and a substantial amount of cash.
Scotland Yard released photos of some of the stolen pieces, including two diamond Cartier bracelets which can cost up to £238,000 each. Also taken were a £10,000 chinchilla fur coat and two pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes worth £4,000 each.
The mother, who asked not to be named, said yesterday: ‘[They] entered the house while the whole family was in. We had children, grandparents, staff, all downstairs.
‘They broke the window in the older boys’ room, on the same floor as the master bedroom, and closed themselves in.
‘They opened all the shelves and even took out the back wall of the wardrobe.
‘They didn’t have more than 20 minutes inside, but there was not a piece in the room they didn’t go through.
‘They left through the master bedroom balcony. You can still see the footprints on the wall where they climbed up.
In addition to their considerable monetary value, many of the items had ‘meaning attached to them’, she said.
‘We were devastated. They stole a lot of precious jewellery and family relics. It was all worth around £2million, and it wasn’t insured.’
The mother said last Thursday’s raid has left the family ‘shaken and fearful’.
Her children have had to see a psychologist following the incident. The family’s home is situated on Hampstead Lane, a leafy road where house prices can reach up to £9million. Kate Moss and Sting are among those who own properties nearby.
Yesterday most neighbours said they were unaware of the break-in, although some have since received warning letters from the police.
Detective Inspector Paul Ridley, who is leading the burglary investigation, said: ‘I would ask anyone who has been offered this jewellery, or seen these items for sale, to report it to us immediately. I need the names of these intruders as a priority.’