Tamara Ecclestone’s £25m Jewel Heist: An Insurance Shock
Formula 1 heiress Tamara Ecclestone was the victim of a £25m jewel heist in 2019, and the case of her missing diamonds remains partly unsolved. Now, her husband Jay Rutland has revealed another devastating fact that caused more pain for the couple in the aftermath of the crime.
Tamara Ecclestone is the daughter of former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who controlled the commercial rights to the sport between 1987 and 2017. The couple, who married on the French Riviera in 2013, share two daughters. In 2019, while they were holidaying in Lapland, their Kensington mansion in Palace Green was burgled.
The London home was raided, with £25m of valuables and cash stolen. Rutland has now revealed that their insurance policy had an exemption clause that neither he nor his wife noticed – watches and gems were not covered.
Checking the Fine Print
Speaking to the Daily Mail as part of a new podcast, Rutland explained: “Our total insurance claim was for, I think, 40 grand or 45 grand, something like that, which was for the doors in the house – because [the burglars] smashed down 25 or 30 doors.” He continued, “Every door to every room was locked. So that meant they had to crowbar each door open.” Rutland remembered, “We claimed on the insurance for those doors to be replaced, but that was it. Nothing else was insured.”
Rutland added a cautionary note: “Don’t get me wrong, that’s our own fault and clearly it teaches you the importance of checking the small print.”
Among the stolen valuables were gifts Tamara had received from her father, Bernie Ecclestone. Most of the pieces stolen from the Ecclestone Rutland residence were never recovered.
Aftermath and Arrests
Three Italian men were arrested and convicted for a combined 28-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to burgle. Two other high-profile burglaries took place in December 2019, targeting the London homes of former Chelsea footballer Frank Lampard and the late owner of Leicester City, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
In December 2023, a fourth suspect, Daniel Vukovic, was arrested in Belgrade, Serbia. Ecclestone had put up a £250,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and £6m for the recovery of her valuables.
