As Tom Cruise has reportedly left his £30 million Knightsbridge apartment, allegedly citing safety concerns, are other wealthy Londoners also considering leaving the capital because of crime?
The Top Gun actor is said to have moved out of his home at One Hyde Park, the UK’s most expensive apartment complex, with safety concerns cited as a factor, according to the Daily Mail. Staff were seen packing and removing boxes from the actor’s flat in January, the newspaper reported.
The move follows a raid on the Rolex boutique located on the ground floor of the building on 20 January, when machete-wielding robbers escaped on motorbikes with thousands of pounds worth of luxury watches. No arrests have been made. While Cruise has not cited the incident as the reason for leaving his London home, it comes amid a spate of armed robberies in some of the capital’s most desirable neighbourhoods.
While Cruise has not cited this incident as the reason for his departure from his London home, it does follow a recent trend of armed robberies in some of the capital’s most-desirable neighbourhoods.
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Just three days later, three masked men broke into the Saint Laurent boutique on Old Bond Street at 3am on 23 January. The group made off with around £30,000 worth of luxury goods, including handbags, in a smash-and-grab raid in ultra-wealthy Mayfair.
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Beyond central London, a jewellery shop in Richmond upon Thames was raided by hammer-wielding robbers at 10:30am on 31 January, in front of weekend shoppers. The incident took place near Richmond Green, an area historically associated with figures such as Sir Richard Attenborough and Virginia Woolf, and contrasts sharply with the borough’s reputation as one of London’s safest, according to data from Essential Living.
Wealthy Londoners want to stay
Despite the recent headlines, leading super-prime property experts tell Spear’s that London’s ultra-wealthy are not leaving the capital because of crime, at least for now, and that many remain committed to staying.
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Daniel Daggers, founder of high-end estate agency DDRE Global and star of Netflix property show Buying London, says he does not see people leaving en masse over safety concerns.
‘People are not necessarily leaving London because of crime,’ he told Spear’s. ‘What we are seeing instead is a shift in how buyers assess risk and personal security when choosing a home.’
‘The focus has moved away from the postcode alone and towards the practical details: perimeter security, the number of access points, CCTV coverage, concierge presence, and whether there is any form of private or on-street security,’ he added.
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Sam Edington, founder of super-prime brokerage Edingtons, echoed Daggers’ assessment.
‘We are not seeing our clients leave Prime Central London as a result of the recent rise in high-profile crime,’ he said. ‘Demand for core neighbourhoods such as Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Notting Hill and Marylebone remains strong, particularly among international buyers and families who value lifestyle, schools and long-term security of value.’
Rather than leaving the city, Daggers noted that UHNWs are increasingly prioritising homes on secure streets.
‘We are seeing a growing interest in private roads and controlled-access streets, from Highgate through to select enclaves in central London,’ he said. ‘Regent’s Park is a good example. The park itself is monitored throughout the day, and some of the surrounding terraces benefit from private security, which provides an added layer of reassurance.’
Wealthy individuals are clubbing together with their neighbours to create networks of security, said Spear’s Woman of the Year 2025, Becky Fatemi, a property broker at Sotheby’s International Realty.
‘We are seeing residents in established prime streets pooling resources to employ private security and strengthen a sense of reassurance and community,’ she said. ‘Mount Street, Eldon Road, Avenue Road, The Bishops Avenue all have street security, and Kensington Palace Gardens is a long-standing example of a gated, guard-manned street that has maintained its position as one of the most coveted addresses and kept house premiums high.’
At the same time, Fatemi stressed that buyers are keen to preserve a relaxed living environment.
‘Crucially, this is not about turning homes into fortresses,’ she said. ‘Buyers still want calm, elegant living and for guests to feel welcome.’
Philip Eastwood of buying agency The Buying Solution added that the visible presence of security alone can offer reassurance.
‘The perceived absence of the traditional ‘Bobby on the beat’ has, in certain super-prime streets, created a market for discreet private security funded collectively by residents,’ he said. ‘For many UHNW individuals, that reassurance can be as simple as knowing someone is there to escort them safely from a car or taxi to their front door.’
Beyond physical security, Eastwood also highlighted the importance of managing a home’s digital footprint.
‘In parallel, as a separate side note, in an age of constant self-promotion, people need to be far more mindful of what they reveal online. Social media platforms such as Instagram can unintentionally provide a roadmap to those with malicious intent,’ he said.
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