Seven arrests have been made in connection with more than 40 burglaries of gold linked to South Asian origin households in the UK, Scotland Yard said in a statement on Tuesday.
The suspects, who were not named, are believed to be connected to an organised crime group that may have committed more than 100 burglaries UK-wide since July 2018. They were arrested following a coordinated effort by six police forces from different parts of Britain working with the Metropolitan Police Service in London.
"We will continue to work very closely with other forces to identify anyone involved in this kind of organised criminality and support those who find themselves victim to these offences, said Met Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who oversaw the operation.
We know burglary has a devastating impact on those who are targeted and can leave people feeling extremely vulnerable in their own homes the place they should feel safest, he said.
In London, the group arrested on Tuesday are believed to be responsible for more than 40 burglaries, the majority of which targeted gold usually found in South Asian homes in the UK. Other linked burglaries took place in East Anglia and counties surrounding London. In total, property valued at more than GBP 500,000 is believed to have been stolen.
Officers from Wiltshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Thames Valley, Kent and Suffolk worked alongside the Met Police to identify and arrest those believed to be involved in the offences.
Three men, who cannot be named unless formally charged, aged 48, 56 and 40 were arrested on suspicion of money laundering at an address in Grittenham, Wiltshire. Four men, aged 56, 26 , 35 and 30 were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle at a location in Winchester, Hampshire.
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A total of GBP 26,000 in cash was also seized along with seven caravans and two vehicles believed to be stolen.
The arrests are linked to those carried out at addresses in Suffolk and London in October, where seven people were arrested on conspiracy to commit burglary. All of those arrested previously remain on bail.
The Met Police re-issued some of its safety guidelines to protect homes against theft and burglary, including keeping valuables out of view and being cautious about sharing holiday information on social media.