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| Hatton Garden jewellers 'were uninsured' | |
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| Owners of safe-deposit boxes in the heart of London’s jewellery district are expected to find out later on Wednesday whether they are among the victims of an audacious raid carried out over the Easter weekend, as it emerged that some of them do not have insurance. | Owners of safe-deposit boxes in the heart of London’s jewellery district are expected to find out later on Wednesday whether they are among the victims of an audacious raid carried out over the Easter weekend, as it emerged that some of them do not have insurance. |
| Thieves are thought to have stolen millions of pounds’ worth of jewellery from the vault in Hatton Garden, central London. Police said that between 60 - 70 safety deposit boxes were opened during the burglary. | Thieves are thought to have stolen millions of pounds’ worth of jewellery from the vault in Hatton Garden, central London. Police said that between 60 - 70 safety deposit boxes were opened during the burglary. |
| A Knightsbridge jeweller who has been using the facility for 10 years said he feared the £5,000 irreplaceable watch he had bought for his son’s 18th birthday had been stolen. “It is very scary for a lot of people, I couldn’t sleep last night,” said Michael Miller, who said he felt sick as he waited for news. Miller said he feared he had lost £40,000-£50,000 in the robbery including jewellery and a collection of watches, including the IWC watch for his son. “I bought it on the day he was born. They don’t make it anymore. He’s nine now but he has seen it.” Others using the vault feared they had lost jewellery, family heirlooms, cash and essential documents, he added. Miller said he had been told by police that they would have more information on the stolen property by Wednesday afternoon. | A Knightsbridge jeweller who has been using the facility for 10 years said he feared the £5,000 irreplaceable watch he had bought for his son’s 18th birthday had been stolen. “It is very scary for a lot of people, I couldn’t sleep last night,” said Michael Miller, who said he felt sick as he waited for news. Miller said he feared he had lost £40,000-£50,000 in the robbery including jewellery and a collection of watches, including the IWC watch for his son. “I bought it on the day he was born. They don’t make it anymore. He’s nine now but he has seen it.” Others using the vault feared they had lost jewellery, family heirlooms, cash and essential documents, he added. Miller said he had been told by police that they would have more information on the stolen property by Wednesday afternoon. |
| He said like many of the depositors at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd his property was uninsured. “Lots of people keep their jewellery here to reduce insurance costs,” he said. | He said like many of the depositors at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd his property was uninsured. “Lots of people keep their jewellery here to reduce insurance costs,” he said. |
| He said he felt dismay, shock and disbelief. “I just can’t believe it has happened.” | He said he felt dismay, shock and disbelief. “I just can’t believe it has happened.” |
| He expressed his disappointment that the vault’s security had been breached, adding that he had been told thieves had “broken through a wall and got in that way”. | He expressed his disappointment that the vault’s security had been breached, adding that he had been told thieves had “broken through a wall and got in that way”. |
| “If you look at the website it says it is the safest place around, I’m extremely shocked. There is a double door before you even get to the vault.” | “If you look at the website it says it is the safest place around, I’m extremely shocked. There is a double door before you even get to the vault.” |
| Another client, Norman Bean, said he had £35,000 of uninsured jewellery, including a large diamond. Asked how he felt when he found out the news he said: “I was devastated, I was shaking. I couldn’t believe it.” | Another client, Norman Bean, said he had £35,000 of uninsured jewellery, including a large diamond. Asked how he felt when he found out the news he said: “I was devastated, I was shaking. I couldn’t believe it.” |
| He said he had had no communication of apology from the company. Asked if he thought there should have been more security he said: “Of course there should have been”. | He said he had had no communication of apology from the company. Asked if he thought there should have been more security he said: “Of course there should have been”. |
| Another client Gerald Landon said he was “devastated” at the news and had items of “considerable value” in the safe. “It’s terrible. I’m absolutely devastated,” he said. “It’s a lifetime of work and stock I’ve had for many years.” He said he’d been told by an associate that a security guard had checked the outside of the building but not the vault itself, which if true, was “shocking”, he added. | |
| Police are continuing with a forensic examination of the property, which was breached on Thursday evening. Scotland Yard said: “Detectives and scenes of crime officers are currently carrying out a forensic examination of the scene at Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd. This is a slow and painstaking process involving forensic examination, photographing the scene and recovering exhibits in meticulous detail in order to preserve the evidence. Officers anticipate this process to take approximately two days. “At this stage it is believed that approximately 60 - 70 safety deposit boxes were opened during the burglary. Officers are working closely with Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd to establish the identities of those affected. Police will be contacting victims directly as and when they are identified. “Flying Squad officers are keen to speak to anyone with who may have any information about the burglary on 020 8785 8655 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” | Police are continuing with a forensic examination of the property, which was breached on Thursday evening. Scotland Yard said: “Detectives and scenes of crime officers are currently carrying out a forensic examination of the scene at Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd. This is a slow and painstaking process involving forensic examination, photographing the scene and recovering exhibits in meticulous detail in order to preserve the evidence. Officers anticipate this process to take approximately two days. “At this stage it is believed that approximately 60 - 70 safety deposit boxes were opened during the burglary. Officers are working closely with Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Ltd to establish the identities of those affected. Police will be contacting victims directly as and when they are identified. “Flying Squad officers are keen to speak to anyone with who may have any information about the burglary on 020 8785 8655 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” |
| Another jeweller who has been working in Hatton Garden since he began as an apprentice aged 15 said these were “worrying times” for customers of the vault. “I feel terrible, very anxious … We are insured, but now you just have to cross your fingers it will pay out.” But some pieces the jewellery maker was working on, which were kept in the vault, were irreplaceable, he said. He had been using the vault for over 50 years. “You pay your annual fee and you expect it to be safe. They have massive steel doors, alarms. It must have been someone who knew the layout down there.” | Another jeweller who has been working in Hatton Garden since he began as an apprentice aged 15 said these were “worrying times” for customers of the vault. “I feel terrible, very anxious … We are insured, but now you just have to cross your fingers it will pay out.” But some pieces the jewellery maker was working on, which were kept in the vault, were irreplaceable, he said. He had been using the vault for over 50 years. “You pay your annual fee and you expect it to be safe. They have massive steel doors, alarms. It must have been someone who knew the layout down there.” |
| Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd was also the target of a 2003 raid in which £1.5m of jewellery and cash were stolen. | Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd was also the target of a 2003 raid in which £1.5m of jewellery and cash were stolen. |