Socialite releases footage of £10m break-in at Primrose Hill mansion

Telegraph

14-04-2025

A Hong Kong socialite who had £10.4 million worth of valuables stolen from her Primrose Hill mansion has released CCTV footage of the cat burglar stealing her handbags.
In her first public statement since the theft on Dec 7, Shafira Huang said the items stolen were 'deeply personal' and included valuables that had been passed down from her mother.
Footage from the interior of the £60 million house, in north-west London, shows a masked man in dark clothing and baseball cap carefully picking out a blue alligator skin Hermes clutch bag from a rack of designer accessories.
Another clip shows the man rifling through an island dresser and cramming handfuls of jewellery into a backpack.
Amongst the jewellery stolen was a 10.7-carat Graff diamond ring, two De Beers butterfly diamond rings, a Hermes 3.03-carat ring, an aquamarine ring and a Niloticus Lumiere necklace.
The man also made off with a unique Fleur des Mers ring, encrusted with diamonds and sapphires and a number of platinum necklaces and bracelets.
The suspect is believed to have armed himself with a blowtorch and made his way inside using a ladder from next door which is being renovated. Four months on, the thief remains at large.
The footage of the theft was released by Ms Huang on her personal Instagram, which features nearly 400 images and videos of her opulent lifestyle, including pictures with Prince William and Sarah, Duchess of York.
On Monday, the art collector and 'cultural ambassador' for the Halcyon Gallery issued an appeal for those with any 'actionable or leads or information' to come forward.
Ms Huang wrote: 'What I'm sharing in this video is to remind us that what was taken from me wasn't just physical – it was deeply personal: moments with loved ones, markers of growth, including some of them passed down from my mother and memories that can't be replicated.
'I believe someone, somewhere, may know something. Every clue counts – I truly believe that, if the responsible party is ever brought to justice, it will spare more families from enduring such a violation of safety and trust.
'I'm also inviting all those affected to join me in building a community initiative to enhance local safety and support a stronger police presence. Together, our unity can help ensure every law-abiding citizen enjoys the secure home they deserve.'
Ms Huang's representatives previously offered £500,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the burglar.
Det Constable Paulo Roberts, investigating the burglary, 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.'
It is the second most expensive residential burglary in the UK. In 2019, Tamara Ecclestone, the British model and daughter of Bernie Ecclestone, the former F1 chief, was the victim of a multi-million pound robbery.
Three thieves broke in and plundered £25 million worth of jewellery and cash from her Kensington Palace Gardens residence, dubbed Billionaire's Row, in Kensington, west London.
Regarding the Primrose Hill break-in a spokesman for the Met Police confirmed that an investigation was ongoing and urged the public to call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X quoting CAD reference 5775/07DEC24.