Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 30, 2025

How do the rich and famous protect their homes?

How do the rich and famous protect their homes?

With the jailing on Friday of one man for burglary at the home of ex-footballer Ashley Cole - in which he and his partner were bound with cable ties - how are wealthy homeowners fighting back to defend their homes?

Holland Park in west London has been described as a hotbed of activity for criminals

"We're in high demand that's for sure," says John Moore, who heads up Westminster Security, a private security firm protecting homes in affluent areas like Holland Park.

The area of Kensington, where white stucco-fronted villas sell for millions, has become a "real hotbed of criminal activity", said Mr Moore.

"It is namely high-end burglaries, the criminal gangs are very professional and they're travelling from overseas, targeting properties and getting out of the country quickly.

"Literally every other night there is an incident... characters hanging about at three o'clock in the morning, clearly up to no good.

"It's really full on at the moment."

The home of former England captain David Beckham and his fashion designer wife Victoria was burgled while they were inside with their 10-year-old daughter. The Metropolitan Police said a number of items were reported to have been stolen.

It followed the 2019 burglary of Formula 1 heiress Tamara Ecclestone's mansion nearby in which an Italian gang of jewellery thieves stole hundreds of items of jewellery, cash, diamonds and precious stones worth £25m.

Mr Moore said his employees come across people carrying out reconnaissance - taking pictures of CCTV, gates and vehicles at people's homes.

"They'll go over gates and try front doors," he said. "They're that blatant they've got no shame, they just crack on."


'Manned security is expensive'


So how much does it cost wealthy home owners, many of whom spend extended periods away, to have manned security 24/7 all-year-round at their home?

Mr Moore estimated a rough figure of £250,000 to £500,000 a year - but the cost of security is a tax-deductible expense if the threat originates from someone's employment.

He explained: "There is no denying that manned security is expensive.

"A lot of clients see it as investment, so they're investing in the safety and security of their family."

Social media influencer Molly-Mae Hague reportedly lost £800,000 worth of belongings in a raid on her Manchester flat last year


Social media influencer Molly-Mae Hague increased her security after reportedly losing £800,000 worth of belongings last year in a burglary at the Manchester apartment she shared with her boxer boyfriend, Tommy Fury.

The former Love Island contestant said the raid was "without a doubt the worst thing that's happened to me" in a teary YouTube video.

The 22-year-old said posting pictures of her glamorous lifestyle on social media might have tipped the balance between her security and sharing her life with followers.

She has since decided posting house tours on social media is an "absolute no-go", reportedly stopped ordering takeaways to her home, and admitted she has lost her interest in expensive jewellery and clothes which could "compromise" her safety.


'A dog can not be bribed'


A number of celebrities have enlisted the help of four-legged friends to protect their homes, including rapper Stormzy and footballers Jack Grealish and Jesse Lingard.

Robert Metcalfe, who runs Personal Protection Dogs in Nottingham, trains family dogs to protect their owners and property.

He also sells personal protection trained German Shepherds worth £10,000 to the likes of models and Arab princes living in London.

Robert supplies German Shepherds as personal protection dogs


"If you a buy a personal protection dog, it can not be bribed," Mr Metcalfe explained. "It's not going to take a backhand and disappear in the night.

"I had an enquiry from a client a week ago and asked the budget.

"They said he doesn't have a budget - his net worth is two billion."

And what happens when a person protection dogs spots an intruder in the grounds? "You want it to bark and deter them," said Mr Metcalfe.


Panic rooms 'are the norm'


In December Premier League footballer Joao Cancelo suffered cuts to the face attempting to fight off a gang of intruders at this home.

The 27-year-old said "four cowards who hurt me and tried to hurt my family" took all his jewellery in the raid.

Cancelo revealed he had been attacked via Instagram in December


The rich and famous are turning to installing panic rooms over fears of being in a house with an intruder.

TV star Gemma Collins told her BBC podcast last year she had panic rooms installed in her Essex house, reportedly worth £1.3m. The Only Way Is Essex cast member previously came face-to-face with burglars escaping her previous flat in 2015.

Paul Weldon, who runs the Panic Room Company, says panic rooms now "seem to be the norm" when large houses are built. His clients include footballers.

"When architects ask what clients want in their house, they're like sauna, football pitch, cinema room," he said. "We find safe rooms are on that list more and more."

A basic panic room can cost around £40,000, he said. They can be hidden behind false walls, mirrors and even shoe racks.

So how does it work when a burglar is trying to get into someone's home whilst they are inside?

Mr Weldon said: "The general house we're talking about here has some good alarm protection, so you get notifications there's some sort of activity outside.

"So the client can get themselves locked in a safe area with good communication.

"So in that room there will be a link to the CCTV and they can call for assistance from their security team or the police."

Although enquiries for panic rooms has been eclipsed by the demand for safe rooms for a very different threat.

"The nuclear shelter side of the business has absolutely taken off," he said.

Panic rooms can be disguised by false walls, mirrors and shoe racks


But where are the police in all of this? Surely the rich and famous too should be able to rely on the police to deter criminals?

Mr Moore, a former soldier before joining the private security industry, said: "A lot of people will slag the police off, and say why should people have to pay for private security when we've got the police?

"We're lucky in London there is a high concentration of police and they are very good at turning up at short notice and being there when required.

"There will always be a requirement for private security even if the police force doubled, because the police can't be on every street corner.

"It's similar to people paying for private healthcare and private schools."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×