Who is Shafira Huang, the ‘Hong Kong socialite’ whose London mansion was robbed? The social media influencer and art collector – who hangs out with Sarah Ferguson – had over US$12.5 million worth of jewellery stolen
CCTV footage obtained by the BBC News has revealed how a burglar stole over US$12.5 million worth of jewellery from a London mansion that belongs to Shafira Huang
CCTV footage obtained by the BBC News has revealed how a burglar stole over US$12.5 million worth of jewellery and designer handbags from a London mansion. The lone burglar is said to have entered the residence by climbing through a window at the property near Avenue Road, Primrose Hill, in the late afternoon on December 7, 2024, per The Standard.
The footage obtained by BBC News shows a masked man fitting piles of jewellery into a backpack after sneaking into the multimillion-dollar home. A spokesperson for Huang’s family said the thief initially tried to enter via a second-floor window, but when that didn’t work, he then climbed onto the roof, where he likely saw two housekeepers leaving the grounds. He reportedly then must have lowered himself into a concrete gutter and entered the house via a bathroom window, also on the second floor.
The thief was armed when entering the property, according to police, and is believed to be a white man in his late 20s to 30s. “We urge anyone who was in the area of Avenue Road, NW8, and saw anything suspicious to please come forward,” the Metropolitan Police’s Det Con Paulo Roberts said, per the BBC. “Also, if you have seen this jewellery since, someone has offered to sell you it, or you have any further information, then please also contact the police or [independent charity] Crimestoppers anonymously.” The Guardian notes that this is one of Britain’s biggest-ever heists.
“He takes a Rolex watch out of the box, then closes it and puts the box back,” Csaba Virag, a rep for the family and chief of staff, told The Guardian. The burglar was apparently so meticulous that he ignored certain valuables, only focusing on select items.
“He left leaving minimal marks, even though to get to the house he had to come through a construction site,” Virag added. He said that the burglar might have posed as a potential buyer for a neighbouring home, which is on the market. “Anyone could view that house and use it to surveil the home,” he told the publication. He said that he doubted any of the home’s employees were involved.
Virag also told the Daily Mail that the crime was likely pre-planned. “He was a lone wolf but also a Spider-Man, as it was quite a mission for him to climb up to the roof and descend from there to the second floor before breaking into the entrance,” he said.
Here’s what we know about Shafira Huang amid the news.