Victims of a $12.5 million jewelry raid in London have offered rewards of up to $1.9 million to help recover the gems and catch the thief.
Part of the property is reportedly owned by art collector Shafira Huang, who is said to be an Instagram multi-millionaire.
A lone thief made off with jewelery as well as designer handbags worth more than $188,000 after climbing through a second-floor window in the upscale Primrose Hill area of north London on December 7. This was reported by the London Metropolitan Police.
The force released a security camera image showing the suspect wearing a dark hoodie and a gray baseball cap with his face covered.
Among the items taken during the burglary were several distinctive gem-encrusted necklaces and bracelets, an Hermes Crocodile Kelly handbag and $19,000 in cash.
Other stolen items included two De Beers butterfly diamond rings, Catherine Wang butterfly earrings with pink sapphires and a gold, diamond and sapphire Van Cleef necklace, the BBC reported. informed.
London Met Police
“This is a brazen crime where the suspect entered the property armed with an unknown weapon and breached the sanctum of the victims' home,” said Met Detective Constable Paulo Roberts.
“The suspect stole £10.4 million worth of jewellery, many of which are sentimental and unique in design and therefore easily identifiable,” he added.
This was reported by the press secretary of the family metro they believed the robbery was a “pre-planned professional job”.
“Everyone is fine, but only 63 seconds later the staff would have been in a direct confrontation with the burglar if they had entered the room a little earlier,” the spokesman said. “I can categorically say that all the windows in the house were closed.”
Homeowners who were not on the property at the time of the burglary are offering $625,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest and conviction.
They also offer a second reward of 10 percent of the value of any items found.