Newly obtained CCTV footage by BBC News has revealed how a masked man stole more than £10 million worth of jewels and designer handbags from a mansion in London. The images depict the thief stuffing piles of jewelry into a backpack after sneaking through the multi-million pound home. The intruder is considered to have “moved like a cat” while he committed the theft. However, his getaway was interrupted when his intended route of escape was blocked. The stolen items belonged to Hong Kong socialite Shafira Huang; she was not present in the St. John’s department home when the theft took place.
The family spokesperson confirmed that the thief attempted to enter the home through a second-floor window on December 7th at approximately 5 p.m. A screwdriver or crowbar left behind left markings along the house. Failing to gain access through the window, the thief climbed onto the roof; he had watched two housekeepers leave the premises before lowering himself into a large gutter to enter the house through another window on the second floor. This window was in the bathroom of live-in governess’ room, where the thief was eventually confronted.
The homeowner spokesperson, Csaba Virag, stated that around £300 in cash, located on a desk in the room, was untouched. He also noted that the thief had to move “like a cat” to avoid making any marks on the sink or cosmetics located in the window. A banging noise was observed during the theft, but it was disregarded as the result of high winds outside. The family spokesman noted that two individuals had walked down the same hallway just seconds apart.
The Metropolitan Police Department has confirmed a £500,00 reward for information that leads to the burglar’s arrest and conviction. The homeowners have offered a 10% reward of the value of any recovered items up to a total of £1.5m for information that leads to the pieces’ retrieval. The mansion is situated on Avenue Road, which contains some of the capital’s most expensive real estate, connecting the Swiss Cottage and Regent’s Park areas. Huang, the mansion’s owner, resides within the property with her property-developer husband. She was once an active social media user, but has since privatized her profiles
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