Suspect arrested in Serbia over celebrity burglaries in London

An international money laundering investigation has led to the arrest of six people believed to have been involved in several celebrity burglaries, ITV News' Nick Wallis reports

Six people have been arrested in Serbia as part of an international money laundering investigation involving Metropolitan Police officers.

An array of high-value items, including jewellery and watches, were found in the homes of those arrested.

One of the men, aged in his 50s, was wanted by detectives investigating a series of high value burglaries committed in Kensington and Chelsea in December 2019.

Jewellery recovered in the homes of some of those arrested. Credit: mup.gov.rs

Socialite Tamara Ecclestone, former Chelsea FC player and manager Frank Lampard and his television presenter wife Christine, and the late Leicester City FC owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha were among the victims.

The men were arrested in Belgrade by Serbian authorities on Wednesday, 20 December, supported by the Met and the National Crime Agency.

Last year, Ecclestone offered a £6 million reward to anyone who could provide information that could lead to the recovery of her "most precious" jewellery and gems. The cash and other stolen items had a sum value of around £25 million.

The 39-year-old 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 on December 13 2019.

Three men were jailed in November 2021 for the crime. 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.

Italian nationals Jugoslav Jovanovic, Alessandro Maltese and Alessandro Donati.

Only a fraction of the stolen items and cash has been recovered.

Daniel Vukovic, believed to be a Serbian national, was named in court as a suspected fourth member of the gang.

Police said he uses a string of aliases including Alfredo Lindley, Ljubomir Radosavljevic and Ljubomir Romanov.

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