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12:25pm (UK) CCTV Clue in £100,000 Gems Theft Hunt By Neville Dean |
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PA Crime Correspondent Police have released CCTV
footage of a smartly-dressed man they believe could be responsible for the
theft of more than £100,000 worth of designer jewellery from an upmarket London
apartment.
Necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, watches and sunglasses were
taken in the raid on a plush flat complex in Porchester Terrace, Bayswater, close
to Hyde Park. Detectives believe the thief broke into the apartment by picking
or slipping the lock. One of the jewellery collections stolen, which was made
by an Italian designer, consisted of a yellow metal necklace, white and yellow
earrings and a white metal ring all set with diamonds, pearls and peridots and
was worth £50,000 alone. They reportedly belonged to Russian oil consultant Elena
Badamiants, who has lived in the apartment for five years. Police suspect the
same thief was responsible for another burglary at a flat in the same complex
just a few days before and an attempted burglary there this weekend. He is described
as being smartly dressed, clean shaven and looking more like a businessman than
a burglar. The first burglary, in which the thief got away with a handbag and
a purse containing chequebooks and credit cards, took place on Thursday, February
3. The burglary at Ms Badamiants’ flat took place just a few days later, on Monday,
February 7. She told London’s Evening Standard: “Obviously he is a very cold hearted
person as he was able to come in like this, especially just after I had left.
“I couldn’t sleep for days, it’s hard to feel safe. Who knows what some of these
people could do?” The newspaper reported that almost all of the jewels taken were
family heirlooms or commissioned pieces. The thief returned to the flat complex
this weekend and managed to get into the communal area and up to a doorway, but
it is thought he heard noises inside and fled empty handed. Detective Chief Inspector
Martin Johnson said: “As far as we know the locks were either picked or slipped.
Despite the fact that these flats were ’well to do’, the locks are not particularly
sturdy.” He added that officers were keen to identify the man captured on
CCTV coming in and out of the complex as nobody in the flats seemed to know
who he was. Detective Constable Chris Lake who is overseeing the investigation
said: “We are urging people to come forward if they recognise this man, or any
of the jewellery. “Have you been sold any of these items which are very distinctive?”
Anybody with information is asked to contact the Paddington Burglary Squad on
0207 321 8500, or to remain anonymous Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. s. from Scotsman
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