News has broken overnight that £350,000 worth of Victoria Beckham collection dresses have been stolen at knife-point from Heathrow airport. Bound for New York to US retailer Neiman Marcus, the shipment is said to have included up to 75 dressed which retail from £1,000+.
According to reports the delivery van was on its way to London’s Heathrow Airport when the driver came back from making a delivery to find the padlock broken and two men emerging with boxes. The driver was knocked over and left bruised and shaken after the incident.
“This operation was meticulously planned. The thieves must feel they can make a fortune selling the collection on the black market,” one source said. “Victoria was informed straight away about the incident and was shocked and deeply saddened, although her first priority was the well-being of the driver.”
A spokesperson for Beckham said they hoped that the spring/summer collection of dresses could be remade in time.
It seems that these incidents are happening more frequently across the globe with London’s fashion bandits striking 35 times in six months at the end of 2007. Meanwhile Prada’s Martin Place boutique in Sydney was raided a few weeks ago with robbers smashing their way through the thick glass doors. It follows a spat of luxury boutique robberies in Sydney at Louis Vuitton and Gucci in the past few years.
[CatwalkQueen and Herald Sun]
