Billionaire’s London home burgled twice in just four days for valuables worth £1.25m

A billionaire’s London residence was targeted by burglars twice in four days, making off with an estimated £1.25 million in jewellery, cash, luxury handbags and designer clothes, a court heard. The Knightsbridge townhouse owned by Paul Coulson, located near Buckingham Palace, was broken into repeatedly last December.

One of the suspects, Ali Lamnouar, 46, was caught by security cameras entering the property twice with large bags, specifically on December 5 last year, Southwark Crown Court heard. He was initially accused of being responsible for the theft of £1.25 million worth of goods that disappeared from Mr Coulson’s home.

But prosecutors later said they could be sure she had stolen items such as jewellery, designer bags and clothes worth £163,835 when they discovered the house had been burgled for a second time just a few days later.

Lamnouar, who lives in Chelsea, admitted two charges of burglary from Mr Coulson’s home and also admitted a £50,000 raid on another London property while the owner was inside.

Recorder Elliot Gold said the burglary at Mr Coulson’s £8.7 million home was identified thanks to CCTV from that night on December 5, 2025, and evidence from his mobile phone that he was in the area.

“After visiting there (the property), he returned into CCTV view with large black bags on straps which he placed on the pavement,” he said.

“CCTV shows him entering the property twice with four bags.

“At the first hearing of this matter on February 20, a lawsuit was filed by the prosecution on the grounds that the value of the stolen items was £1.25 million.

“During the trial it was said the address was burglarized twice, possibly between 5th and 8th December.”

Mr Coulson is the founder of the Ardagh group, a global packaging supplier, and is one of Ireland’s richest people, with a fortune worth $2.8 billion in 2021.

The court heard stolen goods were found at Lamnouar’s home, including a Cartier love bracelet worth £14,000, pearl earrings, a necklace worth £23,500 and a ring worth £29,000, as well as designer coats, dresses and jackets from Prada, Chanel and YSL, as well as Prada, Chanel and YSL handbags.

Lamnouar is expected to be sentenced on April 30 after the judge agreed to adjourn the case for further investigation of the full value of the items he stole.

The court heard that the owner of the first property Lamnouar broke into was at home when the raid took place, with watches worth £38,000 and nearly £10,000 in cash stolen from his bedroom drawer.

The judge said that the victim, whose name was not disclosed in court, experienced “the distress caused by someone breaking into his house while he was at home.”

“He was supposed to provide additional security but was relieved that there was no conflict,” he added.

Lamnouar was on bail for his first burglary when he raided Mr Coulson’s home.

The judge said he already had 36 convictions for 76 offences, including a string of burglaries from the 90s.

Lamnouar was kept in custody until sentencing.