British Millionaire Flees Switzerland After Brazen Villa Burglary

OPA WIRE, Nov 4 (OPA) — Intruders targeted the property in Founex during the early hours of January 1, taking advantage of the one day the house was empty. The thieves forced their way inside, smashed through an interior wall to remove the heavy safe filled with valuables and irreplaceable family heirlooms, and escaped through the main gate. Mr Gibbins, whose fortune is estimated by the Swiss newspaper Blick at between 65 million and 70 million Swiss francs, declined to put a specific monetary value on the stolen items.

Following the break-in, conversations with neighbors revealed that almost every household in the surrounding area had experienced a burglary over the preceding three to four years. Police recommended installing reinforced doors, bulletproof windows, or hiring private security. Mr Gibbins rejected that lifestyle, stating that living behind high walls and floodlights was the antithesis of an open society. The family subsequently sold their villa, withdrew their children from school, and relocated their professional activities to London.

Official figures from 2025 show burglaries and break-ins across Switzerland rose by 1.2 percent to 46,636 cases. In the canton of Vaud, burglaries across all categories increased by 8.8 percent, though break-ins targeting homes dropped by 8.4 percent to 2,766 cases. Home invasions rose to 11 incidents, up from an annual range of one to five over the preceding decade, though law enforcement officials emphasized that such offences remain exceptional.

Mr Gibbins warned that Switzerland risks losing business founders and eroding its primary assets if families no longer feel secure. He noted that while Switzerland remains a wonderful place, authorities must take action to address the normalisation of property crimes. The departure marks a sharp end to 15 years in the country, where his two daughters were born and raised with local identities.