Robbery gangs have been targeting Asian families across Scotland for their gold and jewellery for almost a decade. In the most recent crime spree, criminals escaped with hundreds of thousands of pounds from the homes of Asian families living in the upmarket Whitecraigs area of the south-side of Glasgow.
Recent raids and methods
Around ten families fell victim over the summer, including an earlier raid in February. The gang break into the homes and use metal detectors to identify gold jewellery and other valuables usually kept in bedrooms. The raids are often carried out in under ten minutes, and the gang members have usually escaped, using a BMW car getaway, by the time the alarm company alerts police.
History of the crime spree
The gangs first struck in 2017, when around 44 break-ins were reported in the west of Scotland, with more than £600,000 worth of cash and valuables stolen. Most of the thefts happened in Newton Mearns on the south-side of Glasgow and Robroyston on the north-east side of the city. Police Scotland had already launched Operation Suitcase in response to the number of Asian homes being robbed and high-value gold and other expensive items being stolen.
There was a further 35 robberies in 2019 when more than £500,000 worth of gold and cash was stolen over a six-month period between April and October in Glasgow, Paisley, Renfrew, Ayrshire and Edinburgh. In one raid, an 11-year-old girl was threatened when masked men stole jewellery and cash from a property in Ardrossan, Ayrshire. The robbers also took presents, documents, passports and cash.
Impact on families
In another break-in, gold and jewellery worth more than £27,000 was stolen from a house in Bathgate, West Lothian. There was also a second robbery in nearby Armadale on the same night, when gold jewellery was also taken. A further raid in September that year saw tens of thousands of pounds of cash and jewellery stolen from a family home in Renfrew. The rear patio doors had been forced open and the house ransacked.
In August 2021, The Daily Record reported that 14 Asian homes had been targeted, with £200,000 worth of jewellery stolen within 11 days. Home owners in Beith, Bathgate, Stranraer, Cambuslang, Paisley, East Kilbride and Glasgow fell victim with gold, jewellery and watches taken.
We also reported how burglars were caught on camera as they robbed a family in Kirkcaldy, Fife in February 2024. One man can be seen holding a crowbar in the footage, while carrying what appeared to be a black safe in his other hand. Another man, wearing red gloves, is seen clutching a knife. The CCTV footage then shows the robbers speeding off in a black Mercedes and white BMW that had been parked in the driveway.
Victim's account and value of Asian gold
At the time, homeowner Ahsan Javaid was visiting Saudi Arabia for Umrah - an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca - when the robbery took place. He said: "This stuff can always get replaced but the worst thing is knowing they were inside my house. It's horrible to work so hard and people can just come along and help themselves."
Asian jewellery is particularly valuable because the gold used is more expensive. Many of the stolen items are also family heirlooms which have been passed through the generations.
