London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 01, 2026

Celebrity burglary trial: Woman arrested wearing Ecclestone earrings

Celebrity burglary trial: Woman arrested wearing Ecclestone earrings

A woman linked to burglaries on three celebrities' homes was wearing Tamara Ecclestone's rose gold earrings when she was arrested, a court has heard.

The socialite lost jewellery worth about £25m in the raid last December - including the £3,000 Noa earrings.

Bodycam footage shown to Isleworth Crown Court showed Maria Mester sporting the high-end accessories when she was detained at Stansted Airport.

She denies conspiracy to burgle and money laundering.

The court heard Ms Mester, 47, and her 30-year-old son Emil Bogdan Savastru were part of a "support cast" in the plot, which also targeted Chelsea manager Frank Lampard and former Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

A group of burglars - who cannot be named for legal reasons - is said to have committed the raids.

Ms Ecclestone's home was hit just hours after she, her husband, her daughter and dog, left the UK on 13 December for a Christmas holiday in Lapland.

Prosecutor Timothy Cray QC told jurors the earrings were among nearly 400 items" taken from Ms Ecclestone's "Vault room" and specially commissioned jewellery cabinet.

Ms Mester was stopped at Stansted Airport on 31 January and confronted about the earrings in police interview.

She declined to comment and strenuously denied involvement in any burglaries, instead complimenting a detective on his "lovely blue eyes", the court heard.

When shown photos of her making transactions at Harrods and leaving Heathrow Airport for Belgrade five days after Ms Ecclestone's home was hit, Ms Mester answered no comment, adding that she "travels a lot".


The homes of Frank and Christine Lampard, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and Tamara Ecclestone and her husband were all broken into last December


Mr Cray told the court Ms Ecclestone's was the third target in a series of raids - with the first being Frank and Christine Lampard's home on 1 December.

An intruder alarm was activated as two rose gold ladies watches, a set of gold cufflinks, a white gold Cartier pocket watch and a Mia Lia gold necklace, worth a total of about £60,000, were taken.

On 10 December, Mr Cray said, two burglars "ransacked" Mr Srivaddhanaprabha's Knightsbridge home, which had remained untouched since his death in 2018.

Seven Patek Philippe watches - with a combined value of approximately £600,000 - and €400,000 in cash were taken, the court heard.

The raiders also took a collection of Thai Buddha pendants and a Tag Heuer smartwatch worth £1,500.

Mr Cray said Mr Savastru had been wearing the same watch when he was arrested at Heathrow airport on 30 January - a day before his mother was apprehended.

He was also in possession of a Louis Vuitton bag bought by Ms Ecclestone's husband Jay Rutland in 2011, the court heard.

Mr Savastru's flatmate, Gergo Munzenreider, said he was told a Louis Vuitton bag in his room was a gift from friends.

Ms Mester and Mr Savastru are accused alongside Alexandru Stan, 49, and Sorin Marcovici, 52.

The trial continues.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
England Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Sewage Discharges and Water Quality
Victoria Beckham Business Reports First Operating Profit Since Launch
BT Expects £2 Billion From Copper Sales During Full-Fibre Rollout
UK Train Drivers Secure 3.6% Pay Rise and Avert Strike Action
FCA Chief Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Pressure on Consumer Group in Car Finance Case
Kemi Badenoch Names Andrew Griffith Shadow Chancellor in Conservative Reshuffle
UK House Prices Rise for First Time Since April
UK Shop-Price Inflation Accelerates to 1.5% in August
Met Office Data Point to Hottest UK Summer on Record
UK Announces Emergency Prison Release Measures and £110 Million Capacity Expansion
UK Launches Expanded Free School Meals and 1,400 Breakfast Clubs
Bank of England Governor Warns G20 of AI-Related Economic and Cyber Risks
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Calls for Greater Public Control of Water, Energy and Transport
UK Gains Full Access to £13 Trillion Trans-Pacific Trade Bloc
UK Long-Term Borrowing Costs Hit 28-Year High as Oil Shock Drives Global Bond Selloff
Royal Mail Keeps First-Class Stamps at £1.80 and Second-Class at 91p
Church of England Prepares Formal Apology Over Historical Forced Adoptions
UK Competition Regulator Caps Veterinary Prescription Fees at £21
UK Aviation Authorities Roll Out Airspace Changes to Reduce Flight Delays
England Makes School Allergy Policies Mandatory Under Benedict’s Law
England and Wales Tighten Child Safeguarding Checks by Removing Supervision Exemption
Cornwall Geothermal Plant Begins Commercial Power and Lithium Operations
UK Inflation Holds Near 2.9% as Energy Costs Remain a Risk
UK Productivity Growth Averages 1.1% Over Two Years, Resolution Foundation Says
England Introduces Nationwide School Smartphone Ban and Uniform Limits
UK Gives Border Officers New Powers to Seize Migrants’ Mobile Phones
Green Party Wins First Westminster By-Election in Gorton and Denton
UK and EU Advance Gibraltar Border Deal Allowing Spanish Guards to Conduct Arrival Checks
Robert Jenrick Joins Reform UK After Losing Conservative Whip
Andy Burnham Faces First Prime Minister’s Questions After Labour Cabinet Overhaul
ScottishPower Recycles Nearly All Materials From Historic Hagshaw Hill Wind Farm
Millions Travel Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland for Summer Bank Holiday
Met Office Issues Yellow Thunderstorm Warnings Across Southern England
Four Arrested After Bank Holiday Stabbing Violence in Kettering
Scottish Chamber of Commerce Warns Tax and Business Costs Risk Holding Back Scotland
UK Government Launches Youth Employment Drive With Major Retailers
UK and Ukraine Advance AI and Defence Technology Partnership
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Moves to Exclude Serious Offenders From Early Release
Twelve Arrested After A66 Crash Kills Seven, Including Two Police Officers
Bank of England Governor Warns AI Investment Boom Could Trigger Global Market Correction
London Science Museum Ends Long-Running BP Sponsorship
Scottish Homeowners Prepare Valuation Challenges Over Proposed Mansion Tax
UK Prosecutors Consider Charges Against Undercover Police in Spycops Scandal
James Cleverly Leaves Shadow Cabinet to Run for London Mayor
Avanti West Coast Drivers Agree 3.6% Pay Rise, Averting Strike Action
Allianz Explores £5 Billion Takeover of British Roadside Assistance Group AA
UK Government Retreats From Plan to Unfreeze Personal Income Tax Threshold
Northern Ireland Leaders Press UK Government for Sustainable Funding Settlement
UK Health Agency Warns Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak Could Worsen
NHS Warns Autism and ADHD Assessment Costs Have Become Unsustainable
×