Then they can vacuum them up for safekeeping, most likely by pumping them deep underground, Zhou said.

They told him to transfer his savings to his Revolut account for safekeeping while they carried out repairs.

There, at least two homes have been deemed unsafe to reenter, dozens of others have seen significant damage, the Wayfarers Chapel has been disassembled for safekeeping and several roads have become irreparable.

He added: "There are very few Pictish rings which have ever been discovered and those we do know about usually come from hoards which were placed in the ground deliberately for safekeeping in some way."

Entire truckloads of artworks and historical artefacts were removed by Russians - ostensibly, for "safekeeping".