“They were very well organised, like in the movies."
Wealthy Asian families in Glasgow are being targeted in a series of sophisticated gold and jewellery raids, allegedly carried out by an Irish crime gang.
The masked gang has reportedly targeted 10 luxury homes in Whitecraigs, an affluent suburb where properties can sell for £1 million or more.
The criminals allegedly monitor homes before striking in broad daylight, using metal detectors to locate gold and jewellery before wiping surfaces to remove potential forensic evidence.
According to the Daily Record, the break-ins can take less than 10 minutes, with the gang focusing on gold, jewellery, expensive watches and cash while leaving other belongings behind.
A retired businessman described the shock of becoming a victim.
He said: “My wife went out at 1:15 pm and they must have been watching the house.
“We believe they followed her to ensure she wouldn’t be back in a short time and then struck.
“Our cameras captured them arriving at 1:35 pm and leaving at 1:42 pm. Police, who’d been alerted by the alarm company, raced over but still got here 10 minutes later.”
He said the gang used a metal detector to pinpoint where valuables were kept before ransacking the bedrooms.
He added: “All the drawers in the bedrooms were ransacked and they eventually found my safe, which they threw over the bannister onto the ground floor before carrying it away with them. We lost gold, cash and watches.
“My wife’s valuable jewellery, which had been handed down in the family over generations, as is our tradition, is also gone. They were all wearing gloves and their faces were covered.
“They were very well organised, like in the movies.
“I’ve since learned they have exclusively targeted the Asian community – families of Indian, Pakistani and Chinese descent.
“And if they see anyone in the house, they abort their mission.”
He also claimed the group had expanded its activity into other areas of Glasgow:
“Recently they have moved into other areas. My grandson was home alone studying in Pollokshields when they approached. They spotted him, waved and drove off.
“I’m now told they have operated UK-wide. We’ve captured images of their getaway car but they keep changing their licence plates.”
Another Whitecraigs victim said the gang may sometimes identify properties by posing as tradespeople.
She said: “I was home on my own and my car wasn’t in the driveway.
“One of the gang members rang the doorbell and asked if I wanted my gutters cleaned. He had an Irish accent and was white. They came back later and ransacked my four-bedroom house in less than 10 minutes.
“They used our cleaning equipment, which they found in the kitchen, to wipe away any clues. Then they took it away with them.”
The reported raids have raised particular concern among Asian families because many own jewellery containing high-purity gold, while pieces are also frequently passed between generations as part of family traditions.
According to the reports, the Whitecraigs robberies took place across three streets.
CCTV footage reportedly shows suspects arriving in BMW or Mercedes vehicles before several masked men enter properties while a getaway driver remains nearby.
The burglars are said to target bedrooms, where they believe gold, jewellery, watches and cash are likely to be kept.
The reported incidents form part of a wider pattern of break-ins targeting affluent Asian families across Scotland over the past decade.
Police Scotland has confirmed it is investigating high-value burglaries in Glasgow, although it has not publicly confirmed the reported links between the incidents or the alleged targeting of specific ethnic communities.
Detective Chief Inspector Ross Jamieson of Police Scotland said:
“We are investigating reports of high value housebreakings in Glasgow. Whenever someone’s home is broken into, the impact on the householder, their families and the local community is significant.
“High value thefts by housebreaking, targeting of domestic properties for family valuables such as jewellery and cash is not a new phenomenon.
“We are determined to disrupt the activity of individuals and groups involved in these types of incidents and will do everything in our power to bring those involved to justice.”
