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.
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