‘Mastermind’ behind £50milion jewellery and cash raid on Tamara Ecclestone’s Kensington mansion is arrested in Italy

  • Jugoslav Jovanovic, 23, was arrested in Italy over the weekend 
  • The raid happened after Ms Ecclestone, headed off for her Christmas holiday
  • A £300,000 pair of diamond earrings and a Louis Vuitton bag were taken

Armed cops have stormed a seaside villa near Rome to arrest the alleged 'mastermind' in the £50million Tamara Ecclestone burglary.

Jugoslav Jovanovic, 23, was arrested in Italy over the weekend by officers working on behalf of the Met Police.

He is currently being held in a high-security jail ahead of him being extradited back to the UK.

Scotland Yard confirmed a 23-year-old man had been held and added: 'Extradition proceedings will follow'.

Jay Rutland and Tamara Ecclestone attending The Global Gift Gala in London together

Jay Rutland and Tamara Ecclestone attending The Global Gift Gala in London together 

The Sun reported the man was Jugoslav Jovanovic and it was in connection with the burglary.

It came after another accused man Alessandro Maltese, 44, appeared in court last week.

He was detained this month under a European Arrest Warrant following an investigation by the Met's Flying Squad. 

Maltese appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court wearing a scarlet jumper and black trousers and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth through an Italian interpreter.

He entered no pleas and was remanded into custody to appear at court on November 13. The four other defendants are due to start trial on November 9.   

Jennifer Gatland, prosecuting, said: 'Mr Maltese is here today following being arrested on a European arrest warrant, this part of a sophisticated international organised crime group. The values involved are astronomical.'

Tamara Ecclestone's £70million mansion was raided by burglars who stole millions of property

Tamara Ecclestone's £70million mansion was raided by burglars who stole millions of property

Housemaid Maria Mester, 47, and her barman son Emile-Bogdan Savastru, 29, are alleged to have conspired to burgle a reported £50million burglary of Formula One heiress Ms Ecclestone's 'Billionaire's Row' home on November 29 and December 18, 2019.

Security worker Sorin Marcovici, 52 and Mester are also charged with conspiracy to burgle house on exclusive Tregunter Road, Chelsea between December 7 and 11.

Hotel worker Alexandru Stan, 49, faces one charge of conspiracy to burgle items worth £17million from an address in Chelsea, between November 29 and December 9, 2019.

Stan is alleged to have sourced a vehicle for the group and arranged a 'bolthole' for the gang in Orpington.

Marcovici is alleged to have driven the group during reconnaissance trips to the target properties.

Items allegedly stolen from Tamara Ecclestone's home on December 13 include a £300,000 pair of rare 18-carat diamond earrings and a Louis Vuitton bag.

Maria Mester, 47, has been accused of being part of the burglary but has denied involvement

Maria Mester, 47, has been accused of being part of the burglary but has denied involvement

Maria Mester and her 29-year-old son Emil-Bogdan Savastru have both denied being involved

Maria Mester and her 29-year-old son Emil-Bogdan Savastru have both denied being involved

Mester and Stan deny the allegations and are being held in custody until the November trial.

Ms Ecclestone, daughter of former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, was on a Christmas holiday with husband Jay Rutland and their daughter Sophia, during the raid.

She was said to have been left 'shaken' by the raid of hidden safes at the 55-room property near Hyde Park, where neighbours include Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and the Sultan of Brunei.

Ms Ecclestone, her husband Jay and daughter have shared photos of the luxury mansion on social media in the past, and featured it on their ITVbe reality show. 

Maltese, 44, of Italy, indicated no plea to the same burglary conspiracy and was remanded into custody to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on November 13.

Mester Mester, of no fixed address, denies conspiracy to commit burglary and concealing criminal property.

Savastru, of Tower Hamlets, denies conspiracy to burgle, having counterfeit currency notes and attempting to remove criminal property. 

Marcovici, of Romford, and Stan, of Constable Gardens, Harrow, deny conspiracy to burgle.

A pre-trial review will be heard at Isleworth Crown Court on October 27 ahead of trial in November. 

A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: 'A man has been charged in connection with a series of high-value burglaries in December 2019 following an investigation by the Met's Flying Squad.

'Alessandro Maltese was returned to the UK via Heathrow on Thursday, 15 October following his arrest in Italy under a European Arrest Warrant earlier this month.

'He was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary between Saturday, 30 November 2019 and Sunday, 1 February and remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, 16 October.'

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