Met Police are accused of failing to stop traveller 'burglary squads' linked to 50 raids on wealthy London homes

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026.

Violent traveller 'burglary squads' have been linked to 50 burglaries, aggravated burglaries and attempted break-ins across London and the Home Counties since early September, with the Met accused of doing nothing to halt the spree. The gangs have targeted wealthy neighbourhoods including Hampstead and Highgate, stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash, jewellery, watches and even entire safes. David McKelvey — a former Met detective chief inspector and now head of private investigation company TM Eye — says his firm identified the pattern only because police failed to act.

In McKelvey's assessment, Irish travellers make up the gang, organised into at least three teams of three or four men, hitting up to 15 properties a day, every day except Sunday.