The F1 heiress, the £25m jewel heist and a home insurance NIGHTMARE

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.

But now, several years on, her husband Jay Rutland has revealed another devastating fact which caused yet more pain for the couple in the aftermath of the crime.

Tamara is the daughter of former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who controlled the commercial rights to the sport between 1987 and 2017.

His daughter married art gallery owner Rutland on the French Riviera in 2013 and the couple share two daughters, but six years ago, the family experienced a traumatic event whilst holidaying in Lapland.

During their time away, the Ecclestone Rutland Kensington mansion in Palace Green was burgled.

The couple's London home was raided with £25m of valuables and cash stolen but now, Rutland has revealed their insurance policy had an exemption clause which neither he nor his wife ever noticed, with watches and gems not covered under the policy.

Home insurance - check the small print

Speaking to the Daily Mail as part of a new podcast, Rutland said: "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."

The 44-year-old continued, explaining how the couple had been caught out, which meant they could not claim back the stolen millions.

"Every door to every room was locked. So that meant they had to crowbar each door open."

"So, I remember we claimed on the insurance for those doors to be replaced, but that was it. Nothing else was insured."

Rutland threw in a cautionary line of advice during his podcast appearance, adding: "Don't get me wrong, that's our own fault and clearly it teaches you the importance of checking the small print."

Among the valuables stolen were gifts Tamara had received throughout her life from her father and F1 supremo Bernie, with the majority of the pieces stolen from the Ecclestone Rutland residence and the two other connected high-profile burglaries ever recovered.

Was anyone ever charged over Tamara Ecclestone diamond burglary?

Three Italian men were arrested and convicted for a combined 28-year prison sentence having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle.

Two other high-profile burglaries took place in the same month, December 2019, with the London homes of former Chelsea and England footballer Frank Lampard, and the late owner of Leicester City, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, also targeted.

Srivaddhanaprabha died in a helicopter crash outside the club's King Power Stadium in Leicester in 2018, but his home had been retained by his family following their loss.

In December 2023, fourth suspect Daniel Vukovic was arrested in Belgrade, Serbia. Vukovic had previously fled the UK but Ecclestone had put up a £250,000 reward for information leading to his arrest as well as an offer of £6m if her valuables were recovered.

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