10 hours ago
Who's looking after your home this summer?
In the modern world, high-profile individuals aren't just securing their super-prime homes with more locks, higher fences or better CCTV, they're looking to protect their properties from digital break-ins too. 'It's about converged security, where physical security meets cyber security and human intelligence,' says Jack Charman, managing director of National Private Investigators.
'Security is extremely important to our clients, especially international buyers, in regard to both their person and homes,' says Rosy Khalastchy, head of Beauchamp Estates St John's Wood. 'This is especially so for those with large and detached houses, where primary security is the concern solely of the homeowner.'
Jo Eccles, founder of buying agency Eccord, agrees. '[They're] much more security-conscious than they used to be, not just in terms of protection against break-ins but also in safeguarding their personal cyber-security. We'll often recommend to our buying clients that a specialist security survey is carried out to identify and rectify any weaknesses before they move into their new home, and that can include their digital domain.'
The so-called 2016 'grandpa robbery' of Kim Kardashian in Paris, which saw £7.5m of her jewellery stolen, including a £3m engagement ring, is a good example of how digital and physical security are interconnected.
'During Paris Fashion Week, she posted photos of her jewellery and real-time updates of her location on social media. That information was enough,' says Charman. 'The attackers conducted hostile reconnaissance online, identified her security weaknesses, and struck when she was alone. The lesson? Even the best physical security can be undone by a careless post.' Since the incident, the TV star only has personal drivers, hires security guards to sleep outside her room and refuses to keep jewellery anywhere she's staying overnight.
Closer to home, Petra Ecclestone and Frank Lampard were the victims of a £26m series of London celebrity burglaries that took place in December 2019 and, in May this year, PM Keir Starmer saw two of his homes targeted in an arson attack. 'Modern threats exploit the gaps between physical, digital, and human elements of security. It's these blind spots, the assumptions we make and the systems we overlook, that expose high-profile households to real danger,' adds Charman.
While Charman can't divulge who his clients are, the services he provides to secure their homes, tech and possessions are extensive. 'Many breaches come from within. Whether intentional or not, household staff pose one of the biggest risks.' Along with comprehensive background checks before they're hired, staff are regularly reassessed, particularly if they exhibit any behavioural changes or financial distress. Part of this ongoing monitoring includes social media checks for red flags.
'Many of our clients have different alarm codes for their housekeeper, property manager, and anyone else who might be visiting the property, so they can see exactly when they arrived and left – and keep tabs on what they're doing while they're there,' explains Eccles.
When it comes to protecting against external threats, there's been a growth in smart security in recent years. 'Today's break-ins don't always involve a crowbar. They happen through your doorbell or wifi network,' says Charman. 'Avoid Hikvision and similar systems; these brands have been linked to Chinese state surveillance and remote backdoor vulnerabilities.'
As well as the obvious, using unique, complex passwords, app-based access controls and two-factor authentication, Charman helps clients create segmented networks, so there's one for smart home devices, one for personal use and one for guests, and set up end-to-end encrypted platforms for calls and emails of legal or financial importance.
HNWIs still use traditional methods of security because the price of insuring their property has increased so significantly. 'House insurance is usually arranged ahead of exchange, so that will always raise questions about alarms, locks on the doors and windows, CCTV, safes and so on,' says Eccles. She flags that, in order to satisfy an insurer, anyone with £500,000 of jewellery is expected to have a grade 4 or 5 safe, which costs £20,000 to install somewhere discreet, such as behind a sliding panel or mirror.
Some residents also employ private security patrols, particularly if they spend long periods abroad. 'We look after properties that are rarely used, where people have their main home overseas... We offer patrols or can go in and check that the place is secure,' says Geoff Davies of City Keyholding.
Alongside this, they might also engage a maintenance company to be on hand, should there be a leak or fault that might damage the property while they're away. 'Much of our work is concentrated in SW3, in privately owned flats, houses and mews,' says Robin Westlotorn of Aspire Construction London. 'Our clients include high-profile footballers and horse-racing correspondents. We don't always get to meet them or get to know them, but we sign NDAs and can't photograph the properties.'
While London's physical crime is on the wane, digital offences are up and HNWIs are targets because of their status, wealth, and online footprint. 'Threat actors now go to great lengths to gather information and plan targeted attacks. That means protecting the physical estate is only half the battle,' says Charman. 'The rapid spread of connected devices, smart tech, and online exposure has made the digital space just as vulnerable and often overlooked.'
