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| Some owners of raided Hatton Garden safe-deposit boxes 'were uninsured' | Some owners of raided Hatton Garden safe-deposit boxes 'were uninsured' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| 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 a 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 a 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 and 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 and 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 that 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, adding: “I just can’t believe it has happened.” | He said that 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, adding: “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 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. | Another client, Gerald Landon, said he 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.” |
| James Riley, chief executive of trade organisation the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, said the profession was in shock. “We are all very surprised- it’s a Hollywood style heist, it’s not something that happens every day. There is real shock in Hatton Garden,” he said. | |
| Asked how much he thought could have been stolen in the robbery, he said: “It’s impossible to estimate. My suspicion is there was something [the thieves] were specifically after, otherwise why would they have taken some and left others?” | |
| The stolen goods would range from family heirlooms, personal jewellery and dealers’ stock, he said. | |
| Asked about criticisms of security at the vault he said it was a secure well-established building. “It is a crime that is so well thought out and planned it’s taken everyone by surprise.” The building was “a safe on steroids,” he added. “It’s a lot of steel to get through to get to the items you are looking for.” | |
| A 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 more than 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.” | |
| One agitated client who did not want to be named said if his box had not been broken into he was moving it to another company. One client said a medium sized safety deposit box at the vault could cost as little as £300 a year. “I’m relying on them and it’s a joke,” he said, adding that he had been told “nothing” by police or the company. | One agitated client who did not want to be named said if his box had not been broken into he was moving it to another company. One client said a medium sized safety deposit box at the vault could cost as little as £300 a year. “I’m relying on them and it’s a joke,” he said, adding that he had been told “nothing” by police or the company. |
| Tracing any gems stolen in the heist would be near impossible, said private diamond dealer Neil Duttson. “I imagine they will be sat on for six months,” he said. “Once diamonds have been recut and polished there is no geological map. You can expect some cheap diamonds coming on the market soon.” | Tracing any gems stolen in the heist would be near impossible, said private diamond dealer Neil Duttson. “I imagine they will be sat on for six months,” he said. “Once diamonds have been recut and polished there is no geological map. You can expect some cheap diamonds coming on the market soon.” |
| Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd was also the target of a raid in 2003 in which £1.5m of jewellery and cash were stolen by a suspect who posed as a customer and emptied deposit boxes. | Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd was also the target of a raid in 2003 in which £1.5m of jewellery and cash were stolen by a suspect who posed as a customer and emptied deposit boxes. |