World
January 4, 2025 13:35
london - Scotland Yard suspects that the $12 million jewel robbery at the mansion of socialite Shafira Huang was an inside job. The heist took place while the occupants were away, with eight staff members present.
Scotland Yard suspects that the $12 million jewel robbery at the mansion of socialite Shafira Huang was an inside job. The heist took place while the occupants were away, with eight staff members present.
Socialite and influencer Shafira Huang, in her thirties, resides with developer Vincent Huang, 44, in a five-story mansion on Avenue Road, known as the most expensive street in the posh Primrose Hill neighborhood of London. Huang and her husband were not at home when the masked intruder entered through a second-floor window.
Despite the presence of at least eight staff members, including cleaners, at the time, the thief managed to evade them all without entering a room where someone was present. Security cameras revealed that he barely missed a housekeeper who emerged from the elevator. In just 19 minutes, he fled with a haul of precious gems and designer items.
The Huang mansion, with its five floors and 13 bedrooms, raises questions about whether the intruder, captured on camera as he navigated through the residence, had intimate knowledge of the layout. The police, as the investigation is ongoing, cannot confirm or deny this. A neighbor in the street, once renowned as England's priciest residential area, mentioned, "Why was this house targeted? Everything points to prior knowledge."
Csaba Virag, the couple's chief of staff and spokesperson, was present during the burglary. The intruder, as seen on camera footage, wore dark clothing and a baseball cap as he broke in around 5 p.m. on December 7th. The staff voluntarily underwent polygraph tests conducted by a private security firm hired by the couple. Virag noted, "I can't reveal everything yet, but there were coincidences that favored the thief and put the family at a disadvantage. Many things worked in his favor, including his entry through a normally locked bathroom window on the second floor. It was also fortunate timing. The governess, who resides with Shafira, was not in her quarters when the thief entered her bathroom; she was in the cellar talking to me."
The intruder, described as a white male around 5'7" to 5'8" and late 20s to 30s, was equipped with pepper spray to use in case of unexpected encounters. He left a substantial footprint upon entering the house, which was shared with the police.
Even by the standards of this upscale London street, where celebrities like Kate Moss, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow and her ex-husband, Chris Martin of Coldplay, have resided, Mrs. Huang leads a luxurious life. She is chauffeured everywhere by a team of drivers in dark suits, frequently seen at their 41 million euro estate...