London police are investigating a robbery at the home of Tamara Ecclestone, the daughter of billionaire Bernie Ecclestone. After a horrifying burglary on Friday, police now estimate that the thieves stole approximately $66 million worth of jewelry from the British heiress. What's worse? Her father believes it was an "inside job."
Police were called to the scene around 11:11 p.m. on Friday by the Ecclestone family's private security team reporting a break-in. According to the report, authorities believe that the thieves broke into the home through the garden heading straight for safes hidden in Ecclestone's bedroom. "Police were called by security within the building to three males who had been present inside the property and a fast-paced investigation is underway to locate the suspects and missing items," said Detective Sergeant Matthew Pountney from the Central West Command Unit.
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It is reported that every piece of jewelry from the home was stolen in the robbery which occurred just hours after Ecclestone left on vacation. Luckily, the Ecclestone's weren't home during the robbery, though Tamara is reasonably spooked by the event. "Tamara and family are well but obviously angry and shaken by the incident," the family said in a statement.
Ecclestone's father, former Formula One racing boss Bernie Ecclestone, isn't convinced the incident was a matter of chance. “I don’t have all the facts but given all the security at the house, I’m assuming it was an inside job," he told The Guardian.
Ecclestone's was out of the country for the holidays when her Palace Green home was targeted. "It’s an awful thing to happen just after she had left the house to go to Lapland," her father told The Guardian. "Although maybe it’s better that she wasn’t in at the time."
Tamara Ecclestone's had a successful career as a model, television presenter, and socialite. She began her presenting career covering Formula One races for Sky Sports Italia. Later, she starred in a couple reality TV shows about her life such as Tamara Ecclestone: Billion $$ Girl and Tamara's World before working as a presenter for the show Loose Women. The incident is certainly an unusual circumstance for the heiress, who generally isn't targeted, as her father suspects.
Though the street where her home sits boasts 24-hour security, in addition to the Ecclestone's own security team, police have yet to make any arrests. Law enforcement is investigating the burglary as an isolated incident; however, they are reportedly keeping an open mind to other possibilities.
According to a statement made by the Ecclestone family, their private security team is cooperating with local police on the investigation while they continue to search the grounds and review CCTV for leads.