Accused targeted celebrities – claim

Alleged burglars who targeted the luxury homes of ce lebr i t ies including Fr a n k and Christine Lampard made off with a haul worth millions of pounds during a fortnight- long spree, a court has heard.

Three such burglaries, carried out on west London homes in December last year, netted “big money”, with “fabulous jewellery and cold, hard cash” later laundered through spending splurges including at upmarket department store Harrods, or by being taken out of the country, Isleworth Crown Court was told.

The pinnacle was a £25 million raid at the Kensington home of Tamara Ecclestone, the daughter of ex- Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, reckoned to be one of the largest domestic burglaries in UK history.

Celebrity couple the L ampards – tele vision presenter Christine and her Chelsea FC manager husband Fra n k – had around £60,000 in watches and jewellery stolen the pre vious week, before raiders then ransacked the family home of late former Leicester City FC chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in 2018 in a helicopter crash.

The court heard that the alleged burglars toasted the success of the raid on the Thai b i l l i o n a i r e’s property the following day, enjoying a £760 champagne and sashimi lunch at the Zuma restaurant, just five minutes’ walk from the crime scene.

It can now be reported that four people including an alleged escort and her son are currently on trial on suspicion of their involvement in the raids.

T he y are acc used of being members of the “supporting cast” to the alleged burglars, by arranging transport, accommodation and other assistance before helping launder the proceeds.

Opening the case, prosecutor Timothy Cray QC said: “We say that the

four defendants were part of the support team.”

The alleged burglars cannot be named for legal reasons.

The prosecutor said: “The three burglaries netted big money – in round figures some £26 million worth of property was stolen, that was mainly in some fabulous jewellery and in cold, hard cash.

“Virtually all that property has never been seen again.”

The court heard that two of the alleged burglars rang the doorbell of the Lampards’ home on December 1 to check they were away before sneaking in and stealing £60,000 worth of property including a £36,000 Patek Philippe Nautilus rose gold ladies’ watch.

On December 10, thieves targeted a second home, belonging to Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, getting away with more than £1 million in property, including expensive Patek Philippe watches, and around 400,000 euros (£360,000) in cash. The final burglar y, on the palatial home near

Kensington Palace that socialite Ms Ecclestone shares with her husband Jay Rutland, took place on December 13.

They made o ff with £25 million in property.

The prosecution allege that Alexandru Stan, 49, Maria Mester, 47, Sorin Marcovici, 53, and Emil Bogdan Savastru, 30, were all involved in the conspiracy to burgle the three homes.

Savastru was likened by the prosecutor to the Harry Enfield character

“Loadsamoney” when he and an alleged burglar attempted to spend £8,985 on Louis Vuitton clothing.

His mother – described by her lawyer in court as a “call girl” – was also seen in Harrods “flashing wads of cash”, the court heard.

All four defendants in this trial are charged with conspiracy to burgle the homes, as well as individual conspiracy counts.

They all deny criminal involvement. The trial is expected to last for up to six weeks.

VICTIMS: Frank and Christine Lampard had £60,000 in jewellery and watches stolen.

Heiress Tamara Ecclestone, whose home was raided.