Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Londoners warned to protect family gold

Londoners have been asked to protect their family gold, especially during the festivities of Navaratri and Diwali, as the festival period tends to see an increase in burglaries targeting Asians.
An elderly Asian couple, who did not wish to be identified, have opened up about their terrifying experience when four men robbed their family gold in February this year.
The couple, in their late 70s and early 80s, were both watching television in Hampton Hill, Middlesex, when they heard banging coming from the hallway. When the 77-year-old woman went to investigate, she found four male suspects in the hallway. The woman was pushed back and one of the suspects threatened her with a chisel by holding it against her neck. They wanted to see the couple's ‘Asian gold’.
Before leaving the property, the men stole a quantity of jewellery, including wedding rings, necklaces and bracelets, and cash valued at £1260.
No arrests have been made so far.
The 77-year-old female victim of the burglary said: "These men came in through our open kitchen window and threatened my husband and I. They turned our house upside down and stole our jewellery, including my much-loved wedding ring. I would urge everyone to store their jewellery away from their home and properly secure their doors and windows.”
The last financial year saw 1,891 burglaries involving Asian victims, during which items worth nearly £9 million were stolen. Intelligence show organised criminal networks are increasingly targeting Asian, Jewish and Maltese communities for gold.
Detective Constable Lisa Keely said: "Gold will continue to be highly desired by criminals due to the speed and anonymity with which it can be exchanged for large sums of cash.
"These pieces of gold and jewellery are not just valuable possessions, they are also of great sentimental value, and if stolen, would have a huge impact on owners.
"Our proactive measures to tackle these crimes have seen reductions in offences, however, there is more to be done.
"As part of this work, we urge Londoners to take action to safeguard their gold and jewellery by following our simple crime prevention advice."
The public has been asked to take the following precautions to prevent these offences:
- Take a photograph of your valuables - it is the best way officers can prove it belongs to you if a burglar is stopped.
- Property mark your jewellery, by using a traceable liquid such as SmartWater, this gives police the best chance of reuniting victims with their stolen property, if recovered. The website www.securedbydesign.com provides more information on traceable liquids.
- Consider installing CCTV cameras and burglar alarms as a deterrent.
- Avoid keeping jewellery in bedrooms and bathrooms - this is often the first place a burglar will look.
- Consider keeping your jewellery safe with the National Pawnbrokers Association rather than in a safe which can be removed.
- If you do wear valuables out in public; cover them up so you don't draw attention to them, keep to well-lit areas and try not to travel alone.
- If you do decide to store your valuables in a safe, ensure it is secured to a wall or the floor.

More For You

Modi meets Vance, family in Paris

Narendra Modi in a group picture with US vice president JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance and their children Ewan and Vivek, at Elysee Palace in Paris. (ANI Photo)

Modi meets Vance, family in Paris

US vice president JD Vance and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi spoke on Tuesday (11) about how the US can assist India in diversifying its energy sourcing through investments in US nuclear technology, the White House said.

The meeting between Vance and Modi in Paris, where they were both attending an artificial intelligence summit, came ahead of the prime minister's US visit later this week in which topics like trade, investment, technology and immigration are expected to be discussed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heathrow to submit third runway proposal by summer

A British Airways passenger plane takes off behind houses next to land earmarked for a third runway at Longford near Heathrow Airport. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Heathrow to submit third runway proposal by summer

LONDON's Heathrow Airport, one of the world's busiest hubs, will submit its proposal for a third runway to the British government by summer, its chief executive Thomas Woldbye will say in a speech on Wednesday (12).

The move comes after chancellor Rachel Reeves said last month the government would back the construction of a new runway at Heathrow to boost trade and economic growth.

Keep ReadingShow less
trump-musk-

Musk, standing alongside Trump in the Oval Office with his 4-year-old son, said he was leading the effort to cut government waste. (Photo: Getty Images)

Trump, Musk move to cut federal workforce under new order

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to work with Elon Musk to identify government jobs that can be cut and functions that can be eliminated.

The move is part of an effort to reduce the federal workforce and align it with Trump’s policy priorities.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ed-Miliband-India

Miliband said his meetings with Indian officials reinforced the commitment to work together in key areas, including grid modernisation, offshore wind, and industrial decarbonisation.

Exclusive: UK-India energy partnership strengthens as Miliband backs clean transition

BRITAIN sees India as a “crucial partner” as both countries aim to deepen their cooperation on clean energy, with a focus on renewables and climate action, UK secretary of state for energy security and net zero, Ed Miliband, said.

On a visit to India this week, Miliband highlighted India’s ambitious renewable energy targets and its commitment to achieving net zero by 2070.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bangladesh's former government accused of 'crimes against humanity'

Sheikh Hasina (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Bangladesh's former government accused of 'crimes against humanity'

BANGLADESH's former government was behind systematic attacks and killings of protesters as it strived to hold onto power last year, the UN said Wednesday (12), warning the abuses could amount to "crimes against humanity".

Before premier Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student-led revolution last August, her government oversaw a systematic crackdown on protesters and others, including "hundreds of extrajudicial killings", the UN said.

Keep ReadingShow less