Loading ...The burglary is the second Faberge theft in two days; 24 hours earlier criminals carried out a commando-style raid on Floors Castle, the Borders home of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe cheap links of london. They used a dinghy to cross the Tweed river, walked half a mile and drilled their way in through a door. Pieces of jewellery by Cartier and Faberge were among Pounds 100,000 of stolen items.
Last month there was a break-in 15 miles from the castle at Abbotsford House, the former mansion home of Sir Walter Scott links of london sale. Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott, the writer’s great-great-great-granddaughter, said yesterday that she was not insured and some items, from the period of Bonnie Prince Charlie, could not be replaced.
Detective Superintendent Bill King, of Bedfordshire CID, said it was too early to speculate on a link with the Scottish raids. ”We are in contact with detectives in the Borders,” he said. ”It is likely these items were stolen to order. It would be impossible to dispose of them in this country in the normal way Links of London Charms.” He confirmed that private security staff were in Luton Hoo during the burglary but noticed nothing.
Scottish detectives spoke of a disquieting trend in northern country-house burglaries. ”They take a risk by setting off alarms,” Lothian and Borders police said. ”It is along the lines of ram-raiding. They don’t care about the noise, just about the time before they get caught Links of London Bracelets.” At Floors Castle the burglars were away before the Duchess of Roxburghe, woken by the alarm, arrived to investigate.
