More than $1 million worth of jewellery has been stolen from the Toorak mansion of millionaire businessman and former Liberal Party powerbroker Andrew Abercrombie, who had hosted Lucy Turnbull at the St Georges Road property days before the burglary.
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Less than a week after the heist in Melbourne's most exclusive street, thieves are understood to have broken into another residence owned by Mr Abercrombie on Portsea's clifftop.
Mr Abercrombie's mansion on St Georges Road.
Police are yet to determine if the two raids are linked, but are understood to have obtained closed-circuit television footage of three men leaving the Toorak property in a blue Holden wagon on June 25.
Mr Abercrombie and his wife Shadda are believed to have left for a holiday in Greece on Saturday, June 25 after holding a private function just days earlier that was attended by the Prime Minister's wife.
Andrew Abercrombie Photo: Paul Jones
The thieves entered the rear of the property at about 8.30am and located a safe in the master bedroom of the French Provencal-style mansion that Mr Abercrombie bought for $14 million in 2007.
The safe was taken from the 2850-square-metre mansion inside a wheelie-bin and bundled into the waiting Holden wagon that headed south along Tahara Road.
A watch stolen in the heist
The heist included several diamond encrusted watches, rings, earrings, and a distinctive 'Aqua Marine' bangle.
There were no signs of forced entry and no other items were removed from the home.
Jewellery stolen from the Toorak mansion
An alarm system had not been turned on, while an elderly relative of Mr Abercrombie is believed to have been inside the home at the time of the burglary, but was not disturbed.
Unfortunately for Mr Abercrombie - who ranks as one of the nation's wealthiest businessmen with an estimated fortune of $610 million - it is not his first brush with a million-dollar theft.
The master bedroom of Mr Abercrombie's Toorak home.
In a highly publicised case last year, Mr Abercrombie was treasurer of the Victorian Liberal Party when former state director Damien Mantach was caught embezzling $1.55 million in campaign funds.
Another watch stolen in the heist
In May 2016, Mr Mantach pleaded guilty to 15 charges of obtaining a financial advantage in the County Court, while Mr Abercrombie resigned from his post in April amid scathing criticism of his oversight of the party's coffers.
The scandal prompted Victorian Liberal president Michael Kroger to introduce sweeping reforms designed to safeguard their finances.
Inside the Toorak property
Mr Abercrombie is the founder, chairman and largest shareholder of financial solutions company, FlexiGroup, and ranks 97 on the BRW rich list for 2016.
He owns at least two Portsea properties and expanded his portfolio in 2013 when he purchased another historic Toorak mansion on St Georges Road, known as Edzell House.
