Thieves raided 300 safety deposit boxes in London. Photo: YouTube screenshot.

JNS.org – A major safety deposit box heist in London’s Hatton Garden district during the Easter bank holiday weekend, in which nearly $300 million in jewelry and diamonds was stolen, reportedly affected dozens of Jewish-owned businesses.

Thieves ransacked as many as 300 safety deposit boxes on the premises of Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd after getting into the building through the roof. The thieves reportedly abseiled down a lift and then drilled through a wall to get to the vault door using heavy machinery, London police said.

“A lot of Jews will probably be affected by this—many local businesses keep deposit boxes there,” a local trader who self-identified as Shauli told the London Jewish Chronicle. “There are many Israelis and ultra-Orthodox Hasidic guys who work there, too. I believe there are around 50 or 60 Jewish businesses there.”