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This thread is aimed at UK community. I know close relatives who recently were victims of aggravated burglary. My message is to not keep any gold or cash of value at home. Also, increase your home security (e.g. good locks, fencing, alarm, CCTV). They could target your or my house next. Tackling Asian gold burglaries 14 SEP 2017 Police are urging residents to be vigilant following a spate of burglaries in which thieves have stolen valuable jewellery and cash from Asian families. Jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds has been stolen from a number of homes across north Essex in recent months. In one case, two men broke into a property in Laburnum Crescent, Kirby Cross, at around 2.30pm on July 19 and threatened a 25-year-old man with a knife and what appeared to be a gun before stealing jewellery. The victim attempted to stop the men but was sprayed in the face with an unknown substance, causing irritation to his face. Burglars are believed to target specific homes and are generally ignoring possessions such as valuable electrical items. Detective Inspector Jim White said: “Asian traditions have always placed a strong emphasis on jewellery and investing in gold is a time-honoured practice as it plays an important role in many religious festivals as well as significant family occasions, with many items handed down through generations. “These are not just valuable possessions; they are also of great sentimental worth and are a huge loss to their owners if such jewellery is taken. “The spate of burglaries we have seen recently is a real concern for me and while we are doing everything we can to identify the criminals responsible, it’s also very important that residents do as much as possible to protect their property.” There were 13 burglaries in north Essex between May and July, in Colchester, Saffron Walden, Witham, Braintree, Chelmsford, Heybridge, Kirby Cross and three attempted burglaries. A common theme of such burglaries is that criminals will carry out messy searches of the whole house, including the loft. Residents are advised to keep any high value items in a safe deposit box or bank. Where this is not possible, put them in a safe, which is secured to a wall or floor and complies with official insurance rating standards. Take numerous pictures of your jewellery and itemise each one on your home insurance to ensure they are covered by your policy. Invest in CCTV and burglar alarms wherever possible for extra security and peace of mind. Residents can also request a home visit from their local crime prevention tactical advisor, who can advise on how to increase security to make homes less attractive to burglars. When wearing jewellery in public, particularly during wedding season and religious holidays, consider keeping your jewellery hidden discreet until you get to the venue and be extra vigilant. DI White said: “As criminals are believed to scope areas for homes that could be potential targets, I ask people to be aware of anybody acting suspiciously. If you are in any doubt, call police. “Any information will help with our investigations into identifying and bringing those responsible for these burglaries to justice.” Anyone requiring more advice on home security can contact their local crime prevention advisor on 101 or visit www.essex.police.uk. • Anyone who has information about similar burglaries or has been offered Asian or high value gold for sale is asked to call 101. • Alternatively contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/jewel-thieves-target-asian-families-13531985 Jewel thieves who swiped gold and cash worth thousands of pounds from families are being hunted by police. Police say several Asian families have been threatened with violence and weapons including screwdrivers during 18 jewellery thefts across Bolton . Detectives say the break-ins were committed with the specific intent of stealing gold jewellery and cash. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/burglary-gang-who-stole-gold-13448783 A gang of jewellery thieves who targeted Asian families have been jailed for a total of more than 20 years. Martin Ward, 32, Martin McDonagh, 39, and William O’Donaghue, 41, are from Essex, Kent and London but travelled to the North East to commit their crimes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56463663 Man jailed for £175,000 Riyad Mahrez bank card spending spree Published 9 hours ago Share IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS image captionRiyad Mahrez joined Manchester City for £60 million in the summer of 2018 A man who used a bank card belonging to Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez to go on a £175,000 spending spree has been jailed for fraud. Sharif Mohamed, 32, admitted he spent the footballer's money on clothes for his children and drinks in high-end bars in Ibiza. But he claimed he was part of a wider gang of people who accessed the card and had been made "the fall guy". He was jailed for three years and eight months at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Mahrez' bank card was used at a casino in London, for hotels stays, at a nail salon and for meals at Nando's and Greggs, prosecutors said. The court heard the gang made "hundreds of transactions" of varying amounts in an "incredibly intense" period of spending. Mahrez only spotted that the large amounts had been drained from his card in September 2017, after the scam had been going on for a month. His bank was forced to reimburse him £175,830. 'Staggering sums' Sentencing Mohamed, of Forest Gate, east London, Judge Laurence West-Knights QC said that "staggering sums" of money were stolen. He said: "You knew jolly well that you had handed the card over to the rest of your group and they would go off and spend a great deal of money on it. "The essence of this fraud was that it appears to have been one perpetrated on an individual with a great deal of money, somebody who in fact would not spot these vast sums disappearing from the account, at least not straight away." IMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA image captionRiyad Mahrez was playing for Leicester City at the time Sharif Mohamed raided his bank account In August 2017, when Mr Mahrez was playing for Leicester City, an individual called his bank requesting a replacement card, according to information provided by the Crown Prosecution Service. The card was not sent to the player's address and Mr Mahrez did not receive it, the court heard. The card's usage was cross-referenced with CCTV at cashpoints in a Stratford shopping centre and Leicester Haymarket, which showed Mohamed withdrawing money about 10 times

Silly **** should be thrashed! Happened to me once when I was 15, had to walk to the car in the cold and over gravel, with bare feet..ggrrrrrr! Other members of my family have also been victims over the years http://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/brazen-shoe-thief-caught-on-158643/