How the Mail solved mystery of Sir Richard Branson’s stolen family photo: Memento taken in raid at tycoon’s children’s 200-acre estate are found in a house in Romania
- The Virgin tycoon thanked the Mail for tracking down the family’s mementos
- Detectives hope to reunite the family with the valuables stolen from their estate
- Detectives are now working with their Romanian counterparts and Opal – a national intelligence team – to catch the burglars
Written in fading ink, the note from a loving parent to a son called Richard was a vital clue.
When police investigating an international burglary gang found a haul of stolen items in a house in Romania, they had no idea who the valuables belonged to.
But among the treasure trove of jewellery and luxury watches was a note and an old photograph of a mother with her two fair-haired children.
Believing the victim to be in Britain because the note was written in English, Romanian detectives called a contact in Derbyshire police and asked them to put out an appeal.
But officers remained clueless about the family’s identity. The mystery was finally solved when an eagle-eyed Daily Mail reporter spotted links to the family of Sir Richard Branson.
Sir Richard Branson and his family. Picture shows L-R: Sam, Holly, Sir Richard and his wife Lady Joan Branson
Yesterday the Virgin tycoon thanked the Mail for tracking down the family’s mementos after being alerted to the police appeal.
Detectives hope to reunite the family with the valuables stolen from their 200-acre Oxfordshire estate last year. The raid was not made public at the time.
They also say this newspaper’s help could be vital in efforts to prosecute the Romanian burglary gang and may help them uncover other victims in the UK now police know which area they were targeting.
Among the items taken from the £1.4million home which belongs to Sir Richard’s children Holly, 38, and Sam, 35, was an old photograph showing them with their mother Joan Templeman, now 71
Despite uncovering a mass of high-value property, police have been unable to determine who else was robbed. Among the items taken from the £1.4million home which belongs to Sir Richard’s children Holly, 38, and Sam, 35, was an old photograph showing them with their mother Joan Templeman, now 71.
There was also a touching note to Sir Richard from his late father Edward and mother Eve sending their love as he embarked on a world record attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a balloon in 1995.
Despite the letter’s reference to his company and Sir Richard’s hot air balloon bid in 1995, officers failed to spot the link to Britain’s best-known entrepreneur and were surprised when the Mail pointed it out.
There was also a touching note to Sir Richard from his late father Edward and mother Eve sending their love as he embarked on a world record attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a balloon in 1995
Detectives are now working with their Romanian counterparts and Opal – a national intelligence team – to catch the burglars. Two weeks ago police carried out a warrant at the gang’s hideout in Vaslui County and they discovered the loot.
When the appeal was launched on Friday, Detective Sergeant Stuart Kershaw from Derbyshire Constabulary said: ‘Crime does not see borders and our work across the world is a key part to keeping Derbyshire, and the whole of the UK, safe.’
And Detective Sergeant Tom Grundey, from the Opal team, said: ‘Often items stolen during burglaries are worth more in memories than in their monetary value – and I am sure this is the case with these two items.
‘Our hope is that, with the public’s help, we can find the owners of these two items and begin to understand where other victims may be located.’
Yesterday a Virgin Group spokesman said: ‘Thank you to the Daily Mail for spotting this police appeal and drawing it to our attention. The pictures do show members of the Branson family and we are now liaising with Derbyshire police.’