CCTV shows how burglar carried out £10m jewellery heist - as 'inside job ruled out’

2 January 2025, 15:01 | Updated: 2 January 2025, 15:13

New CCTV footage has revealed how a burglar stole more than £10m worth of jewellery and designer handbags from a London mansion.

The images reveal a masked man pushing handfuls of jewellery into a rucksack after sneaking into a multi-million pound property.

A family spokesperson who was inside the home when the theft took place recalled that the intruder moved "like a cat" but was nearly foiled when his alleged escape route was obscured.

The stolen goods are owned by Hong Kong socialite Shafira Huang, who was absent from the St John's Wood house at the time.

A reward of up to £1.5m has been offered as the search for the thief continues.

Csaba Virag, a spokesman for Ms Huang's family, said the thief had initially tried to enter via a second floor window at approximately 5pm on 7 December.

They left marks which looked as if they were made with a crowbar or screwdriver.

The intruder then clambered onto the roof and would have spotted two housekeepers leaving the grounds, before lowering himself into a huge concrete gutter to enter the house via a bathroom window, situated on the second storey.

The BBC has shared CCTV images of the intruder moving around the house, and finding it difficult to open cases with expensive jewellery before stashing them into his bag.

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Time stamps on one CCTV image released by the family indicate that he narrowly avoided bumping into the maid when they walked through the same hallway, just seconds apart.

When asked if the thief left the house the same way as he came in, Mr Virag said he did, but added "I believe it was not his intention".

The thief had entered a "high risk" part of the house and appears to have tried to leave via a rarely used guest room at the back of the property, Mr Virag said.

He continued: "[He] tried to open the window from the inside but we have the safety on the sash window.

"The stoppers only allow you to pull it down 8cm and if you don't have the right tool to unscrew the pins, you can't.

"He tried but couldn't succeed."

The victim, Shafira Huang, is an art collector and cultural ambassador for the Halcyon Gallery on Bond Street, and has flaunted her lavish lifestyle including dinners with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, on her Instagram page.

Items that were taken include distinctive jewel-encrusted necklaces and bracelets.

She was not at home when the thief struck.

He took the Hermes Crocodile Kelly handbags, £15,000 in cash as well as items of jewellery worth £10.4 million that included unique pieces.

The suspect was wearing a dark hoodie, cargo pants and a grey baseball cap, and kept his face covered.

Huang, who has more than 13,000 Instagram followers, often shares snaps of her luxurious lifestyle, travelling by private jet, yachting in Hong Kong, skiing in Aspen, and visiting the Middle East on holiday.

It is as yet unknown if the burglary was targeted, but several of the items that were stolen have featured on Ms Huang's Instagram profile.

Some of the stolen items had previously been featured on her social media, including diamond bracelets, a ring, and a distinctive handbag shaped like a face with an arm strap.

The family is now offering two rewards: £500,000 for information leading to the thief's arrest and conviction and 10 per cent of the value of any recovered items, which could exceed £1m.

Police are intensifying their manhunt for the armed suspect, with Huang and her family urging anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Constable Paulo Roberts said: "This is a brazen offence where the suspect has entered the property while armed with an unknown weapon and violated the sanctuary of the victims' home.

"The suspect has stolen £10.4 million worth of jewellery, much of which is sentimental and unique in its design, and therefore easily identifiable.

"We urge anyone who was in the area of Avenue Road, NW8, and saw anything suspicious to please come forward.

"Also, if you have seen this jewellery since, someone has offered to sell you it, or you have any further information, then please also contact the police or Crimestoppers anonymously."

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X quoting CAD reference 5775/07DEC, or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.