Kelly Brook Sells Hermès Birkin Amid Rising London Crime Concerns
Kelly Brook, the British model and actress, recently sold her prized Hermès Birkin handbag, citing fears of becoming a target for criminals in London. The 46-year-old reportedly made a significant profit – five times her original investment – on the coveted accessory, known as a status symbol with a important price tag.
Brook revealed to Daily Mail’s Richard Eden that she parted with the bag “not that long ago,” adding, “It was a beautiful bag. But I’ve had it and I used it and I enjoyed it.” However, the decision wasn’t purely about moving on to new possessions. A growing concern for personal safety motivated the sale.
“I’m very mindful that I live in london and I don’t want to be targeted for my bags – as people are,” Brook explained. “So I’m very careful about very expensive designer things and jewelry.I don’t really purchase things like that any more, or even have things like that.”
Brook’s decision comes as London grapples with a surge in high-end property crime. Last year, data revealed by the daily Mail highlighted burglary hotspots across England and Wales, with affluent areas of London – including Mayfair and Soho – notably vulnerable. Regent Street, a renowned shopping and dining destination, recorded 282 break-ins. The areas surrounding Oxford Street and Shaftesbury Avenue reported a combined total of 997 robberies between June 2024 and June 2025.
this isn’t the first time Brook has strategically sold off luxury items. In 2023, during a segment on her Heart radio show with co-host Jason King, she recounted selling an earlier “investment” bag for a four-fold profit. She even jokingly admitted to having been sick inside the bag on multiple occasions during nights out, a detail she wisely omitted from the online listing.
The recent spate of crimes targeting high-value possessions underscores the growing risk. Just a week prior to Brook’s revelation, fashion designer Catalin Botezatu, who has worked with brands like Vogue and Versace, was mugged for his £2 million Richard Mille watch in Mayfair. Younes Djoudim, 33, of Slough, Berkshire, has been charged with theft in connection with the incident and was remanded in custody on Saturday. The stolen watch was part of the exclusive Sapphire Series, coveted by celebrities like Rafael Nadal, Charles Leclerc, and Jay-Z.
adding to the concerns, a career criminal, kirk Holdrick, 43, was recently sentenced to an additional three years in prison for his involvement in a burglary at a London home where actress Anya Taylor-Joy was staying in February 2023.Holdrick and an accomplice attempted to break into a bedroom where Taylor-Joy and her husband, Malcolm McRae, had barricaded themselves, with McRae successfully deterring the intruders.
Why is this happening? A surge in high-end property crime in London, particularly targeting affluent areas like Mayfair and Soho, is driving the trend. The lucrative resale market for stolen luxury goods incentivizes criminals.
Who is affected? High-profile individuals like Kelly Brook, Catalin Botezatu, and Anya Taylor-joy are directly impacted, but the broader concern extends to anyone possessing valuable items in London.
What is happening? Individuals are actively selling or concealing
