The burglaries – including that at Waddesdon Manor where a group of around 100 Rothschild gold boxes were stolen – have all followed a pattern. They have been carried out by a group of males aged between 20 and 40 years who have visited earlier to gain familiarity with entry points, security systems and the location of targeted objects.
Typically, stolen four-wheel drive vehicles or fast Japanese cars have been used to enter grounds and these have been driven right up to houses, enabling the thieves to make a fast getaway with stolen objects across uneven terrain.
AXA have produced a checklist of procedures for securing valuables:
• Monitor and record any unusual incidents, e.g. vehicles and people loitering near your property or driving past at strange times. Make a note of vehicle registration numbers and notify the local police.
• Be particularly vigilant if your house is open to the public and be aware of any unlikely visitors.
• Try to restrict unaccompanied access to your land and property as much as possible and take measures to prevent vehicular access to the grounds and immediate environs of your house.
• Be conscious of the vulnerability of windows and make use of shutters and sash stops.
• Maintain photographic records and detailed descriptions of the items in your collection. These are invaluable to the identification and recovery processes.
Country house raids – AXA issue advice
The specialist art and antiques insurers AXA Art have issued advice to their clients following the increasing incidence of art theft from country houses during the last few months.
