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Gems raid leaves friend of Prince Charles 'terrified'
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent12.08.08
A friend of Prince Charles has revealed how raiders ransacked her Mayfair flat, stealing more than £600,000 of family jewels.
Rebecca Wang said that she had been forced to move out of her rented apartment and live in a £863-a-night room at the Dorchester because she was so traumatised by the burglary.
Miss Wang, a regular on London's party scene, is now suing her landlords for more than £700,000 claiming they failed to repair or replace a faulty burglar alarm at the flat.
Details of the raid are contained in court documents against the landlords Berkeley Square Holdings, ultimately owned by the Abu Dhabi royal family.
The unusual legal action could have consequences for landlords throughout Britain.
Scotland Yard said that it was investigating allegations of theft at an address in Hill Street last month.
Miss Wang is claiming that the crime would never have happened if the Piccadilly-based managing agent GVA Grimley had carried out proper maintenance on the alarm.
She is understood to have hired a private investigator to look into the raid.
Miss Wang, who often attends Prince's Trust events and is a regular at Ascot, alleges that estate agent Savills, which negotiated the flat's lease, and Grimley knew she was "an extremely wealthy woman" who would require a large safe.
However, because of the age of the listed 18th-century building, the flat could support only a small safe, so she had to keep the majority of her valuables in a secure room.
In addition to antique family jewellery, the thieves escaped with seven Hermes Birkin bags valued at more than £37,000, a £30,350 Cartier diamond ring, a £15,600 Chanel gold and diamond watch and Louis Vuitton luggage worth £6,880.
The gang also took £10,000 in cash. Miss Wang's compensation claim includes the bill she has run up staying at the hotel and other expenses from moving out of her apartment which could total more than £100,000.
Her father is a prominent Taiwanese industrialist. She was said, five years ago, to be close to Greek pop star Sakis Rouvas, whom she met at a gala thrown by the Prince of Wales.
A friend says: "Rebecca was raised in a house with servants. She has been waited on hand and foot all her life.
"She could have been spoilt. However, she is a very modest, sweet and kind girl."
Reader views (8)
Her rich is from her father's illegality in Taiwan, dirty money! Taiwan government is looking for this criminal, no one knows where he is until the news was broadcasted, to our surprise his daughter is using the dirty money to have her luxurious life, My God! Shame on her. Return our money!
- Tina, Taiwan, Kaohsiung
Prince Charles shouldn't associated with people who got rich by blood money.
- Emily Hsieh, Taipei, Taiwan
Shame on her! She spent Taiwanese's money!
Why you don't track them!
- Emily, Taiwan
Her father is Andrew Wang, the weapons trader whose scandal with French politicians and death of Taiwan military officers caused havoc a few years ago.
Her father has accounts all over the world, mostly associated with Swiss banks that refuse investigator's probes.
Shame on her. Dirty money for her dirty lifestyle.
- Shalan, USA
Only handful wealthy family whose surname is Wang in Taiwan.
The richest could be the Wang's family, who are running the plastics business. I just guess!
- Viv, UK
I concur that! She should use her money to support Taiwanese Independence...
- Maxisraeli, Haifa
I really want to know who her father is?
Since she claimed that his father is a very extreme wealthy man.
How she could live in such a waste way...
- Jennifer Wu, Taiwan
A modest girl? 7 Hermes Birkin bags, a 30 grand Cartier ring, Louis Vuitton luggage, Raised in a house with servants, living in a 863 pounds a night room in the Dorchester... doesn't sound very modest to me.
- Peter, Breda, the Netherlands
