London Mother Devastated as Royal Mail Loses £15,000 Diamond Bracelets
A mother-of-two from Hampstead, London, has been left distraught and furious after Royal Mail allegedly lost two precious diamond bracelets worth a combined £15,000, with the case now escalated to a police investigation.
Sentimental Jewellery with Deep Personal Value
Nikoo Tayebi, 47, owned two highly sentimental diamond bracelets. The first was a £6,500 bangle specially designed and gifted by her hotelier husband, Andrew, 50, who saved diligently for five years to afford it. The second was an £8,500 diamond bracelet passed down as a family heirloom from her mother, Nooshin, 77.
"It's not even just the money, they both meant so much to me and are basically irreplaceable," Ms Tayebi said. "My husband specifically designed the bangle and saved up for years to surprise me after I've been battling a few health problems. And the other bracelet was essentially a family heirloom that has seen us through generations."
The Fateful Post Office Visit and Subsequent Disappearance
On December 1, 2025, Ms Tayebi visited her local post office in Hampstead to send the £6,500 bangle to a jeweller in Hatton Garden for repair, as its clasp had broken. She included the second bracelet to demonstrate how the clasp should look once fixed, sending both via Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm.
She immediately encountered issues at the counter. "I remember we were having a bit of back and forth with the delivery and return addresses," Ms Tayebi recalled. "And I don't think they noted it down correctly. The clerk also repackaged my parcel in a grey plastic bag, hiding the addresses but I thought it was normal. I was explicit about the sentimental and precious value of my parcel. But I was never offered or advised about insurance options."
Parcel Diverted to Belfast and Tracking Ceases
Alarm bells rang the following day when the Hatton Garden jeweller confirmed the parcel never arrived. Instead, tracking showed it had been redirected to Royal Mail's National Return Centre (NRC) in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on December 3.
Ms Tayebi began tracking the parcel "like a hawk" but claims that once it reached the NRC in mid-December, all tracking updates "ceased." During this period, she contacted Royal Mail on multiple occasions, seeking updates and being repeatedly reassured the parcel would be returned to her home address.
Suspicion of Theft and Police Involvement
Her concerns escalated dramatically on January 6, when she received a notification stating the parcel had been "returned to sender" despite never being delivered. "It was a huge red flag and it just seemed so coincidental," she said. "If there was someone at the centre who opened my parcel and saw two diamond bracelets, it's an easy steal. I'm adamant that someone has stolen it."
The Metropolitan Police have now launched an investigation. A Met Police spokesperson stated: "We received a report of mail theft on Monday, January 26, with the victim stating that a parcel containing two high-value bracelets had gone missing in the postal system. We are in touch with the victim and our enquiries continue."
Royal Mail and Post Office Responses
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We understand how upsetting this situation has been for the customer. Our investigation found there was an addressing error at the point of posting, and the parcel was sent to our National Return Centre where it was later recovered. An attempt was then made to return the item to the customer, but after leaving the centre on January 6 it has not been located. We are treating this very seriously."
The case has been escalated to the Postal Review Panel (PRP), which is working directly with Ms Tayebi. A Post Office spokesperson added: "We are very sorry to hear of the experience Ms Tayebi has had with regards to her parcel. Once the parcel has left the Post Office, it's with Royal Mail. We understand that Royal Mail are treating this extremely seriously and that they are investigating the matter."
Emotional Toll and Financial Loss
Ms Tayebi described the profound emotional impact: "I've not slept well since I sent those bracelets off. The entire ordeal has completely consumed me. I trusted Royal Mail with my most prized possessions and they are yet to take responsibility. I've been left out to dry multiple times and the way they have handled the situation has been a complete joke."
She added with despair: "I just want this to be over. Those bracelets meant so much to me and I was excited to have passed one down to my daughter. I'm shocked at the way my complaint has been handled. And now I may have to kiss £15,000 worth of jewellery goodbye."
The investigation continues as Ms Tayebi awaits resolution, with her family's precious heirlooms still missing and her trust in the postal service shattered.
