£26m celebrity burglary suspect arrested in Serbia after Tamara Ecclestone offers huge reward
(ES Composite) A man accused of being involved in Britain’s biggest ever burglary at socialite Tamara Ecclestone[1]‘s Kensington mansion has been arrested in Serbia[2]. The suspect, in his 50s, and five others were detained in Belgrade[3] on Wednesday for alleged money laundering offences, the Metropolitan Police[4] said.
Ms Ecclestone, 39 – daughter of ex-Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone[5] – was on holiday in Lapland with her husband, art gallery owner Jay Rutland, their daughter and their dog when their Palace Green home was raided in December 2019. Thieves ransacked the central London property and stole GBP25 million worth of cash, jewellery and gems. Victims of the other GBP1m raids included former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard[6] and his television presenter wife Christine, and the late Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Scotland Yard said: “Six people have been arrested in Serbia as part of an international money laundering investigation involving Met officers. “One of the men, aged in his 50s, was wanted by detectives investigating a series of high value burglaries committed in Kensington and Chelsea[7] in December 2019. “The men were arrested in Belgrade by Serbian authorities – Service for the Prevention of Serious and Organised Crime – on Wednesday, December 20, supported by the Met and the National Crime Agency[8].”
While three men were jailed in November 2021, Ms Ecclestone said none of her family’s stolen possessions other than a single pair of earrings have been found since the burglary. Daniel Vukovic, believed to be a Serbian national, was named in court as a suspected fourth member of the gang.
Jugoslav Jovanovic was among the men jfound to be behind the three raids in west London in December 2019 (Metropolitan Police) Police said he uses a string of aliases including Alfredo Lindley, Ljubomir Radosavljevic and Ljubomir Romanov.
The court heard he had fled to the Serbian capital Belgrade, where he is still thought to be, following a failed extradition bid. Last year, Ms Ecclestone offered a GBP250,000 reward to anyone who can “deliver Daniel Vukovic to the police in London[9]“. Story continues
Italian nationals Jugoslav Jovanovic, Alessandro Maltese and Alessandro Donati, found to have been behind three raids in west London in December 2019, were all handed prison sentences last year. The trio were extradited from Italy and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle between November 29 and December 18 2019. Jovanovic also admitted conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of attempting to convert criminal property.
He was jailed for 11 years, while Maltese and Donati were each sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison.
References
- ^ Tamara Ecclestone (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Serbia (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Belgrade (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Metropolitan Police (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Bernie Ecclestone (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Frank Lampard (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Kensington and Chelsea (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ National Crime Agency (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.standard.co.uk)