Police issue advice to owners of high value gold

Hertfordshire Constabulary is issuing advice in the run up to the cultural festivals celebrated by many families during autumn, to help them protect their treasured family gold and jewellery.

Many families wear their jewellery, as part of the celebrations of Diwali and other religious holidays, and in previous years there has been increases in criminals targeting these valuables. On Friday (11 October) a burglary in St Albans resulted in £15,000 worth of jewellery being stolen.

If you plan to attend an event it is advisable to be discreet when wearing high value jewellery items in public. Also ensure that these items are securely stored when kept in the home, or consider keeping them somewhere else like in a safety deposit box.

Detective Chief Inspector Luke Whinnett, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Local Policing Command, said: “Some families who have large collections of valuable jewellery, and in particular high value gold, have been targeted by criminals in the past. Wearing lots of gold and jewels as you travel to weddings and religious festivals can draw unwanted attention from criminals, so we recommend keeping it hidden until you reach the venue.

“Burglars tend to target houses that are empty, particularly if they are not very well-secured. Taking basic steps to secure your home can be enough to deter many burglars. If you have made a significant investment in gold and jewellery, it makes sense to take all possible precautions to protect these items.”

To help keep your property safe and home secure, follow these steps:

• We would advise you to remove the jewellery from your house altogether, so if you are a victim your valuable items won’t be stolen. Keep all jewellery and other valuables in a safety deposit box – speak to your bank to find out what’s available.
• Use a doorbell camera, internal camera and/or a monitored burglar alarm.
• Ensure doors are double locked at all times. Keep windows closed and locked.
• Install ‘dusk to dawn’ external lighting.
• Use timer switches in your home to control internal lights, radios and a simulated TV.
• Keep keys and valuables secure and out of sight.
• Ensure boundary fences are secure with side gates locked.
• Take photos and keep a list of all valuable property in a safe place, including make, model, description and value.
• Forensically mark items of value, as a hi-tech way of linking your property to your address, options available are – Selecta DNA / Smartwater. Always take specialist advice before marking expensive or irreplaceable items.

For more advice on protecting your gold, visit our crime prevention pages.

You can report information about crime online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form.

In an emergency, or if you suspect a crime is in progress, always call 999.

Join our new community messaging platform Herts Connected (opens in a new window) where you will receive free local police messages. You can also choose to receive messages from Neighbourhood Watch, Action Fraud and the Police and Crime Commissioner if that’s what you select when you sign up.