Zara Phillips shaken by car break-in and jewellery theft

Published on Saturday 28 February 2009 18:48

THIEVES broke into a car belonging to Zara Phillips and stole a handbag containing valuable jewellery last week.

The Queen's granddaughter was said to be shaken and "close to tears" after the theft on Thursday afternoon in west London.

Phillips' handbag was taken from her Range Rover, which was damaged in the incident, and riding gear belonging to the royal, who is a keen horsewoman, was strewn across the road where the car was parked.

Thieves made off with the bag, which contained jewellery, cash and Phillips' passport, but they abandoned the bag and the passport in a hedge near the scene of the crime. Phillips, 27, had been shopping in the area when the theft took place.

A source said: "Zara was shaken and was frantically searching for her handbag. Police told her later that it was an opportunistic crime – but there is always a moment of fear that she has been targeted."

A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard said: "Property from the vehicle was found in the street and handed in to police."

The crime comes one month after Princess Beatrice, 20, Phillips' cousin, was the victim of another car crime when her 17,000 BMW was stolen in a nearby area of London.