Advice issued to owners of high value gold

Advice issued to owners of high value gold

Hertfordshire Constabulary is issuing advice to families who own high value gold jewellery following recent burglaries.

Since the beginning of November 2024 thieves have targeted 25 homes, stealing valuable gold and jewelled items worth more than £100,000. Watford (11 offences) and Hemel Hempstead (4 offences) were the worst affected areas.

If you plan to wear expensive jewellery to a public event, it is advisable to be discreet when wearing high value 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 bank 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 can draw unwanted attention from criminals, so we recommend keeping it hidden if you are out and about.

“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 or have valuable family heirlooms, 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.

When travelling always keep valuables in your carry-on luggage. Your carry-on remains under your watchful eye throughout the journey, reducing the risk of loss or damage.

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 the crime prevention pages at www.herts.police.uk/protectyourhome.

You can report information online at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact 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 at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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