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Jenson Button burglary: Gas suspected in F1 driver break-in | Jenson Button burglary: Gas suspected in F1 driver break-in |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Anaesthetic gas may have been used against Jenson Button and his wife Jessica during a burglary in France, the Formula 1 driver's spokesman says. | Anaesthetic gas may have been used against Jenson Button and his wife Jessica during a burglary in France, the Formula 1 driver's spokesman says. |
Two men, who stole jewellery including Jessica's engagement ring, may have pumped gas through the air conditioning before Monday's break-in, he said. | Two men, who stole jewellery including Jessica's engagement ring, may have pumped gas through the air conditioning before Monday's break-in, he said. |
The couple were with friends in a rented villa in Saint-Tropez. | The couple were with friends in a rented villa in Saint-Tropez. |
The British former F1 champion's spokesman said they were unharmed but everyone was "unsurprisingly shaken". | The British former F1 champion's spokesman said they were unharmed but everyone was "unsurprisingly shaken". |
The Sun newspaper reported that valuables worth £300,000 were stolen. | The Sun newspaper reported that valuables worth £300,000 were stolen. |
The couple married in December. | The couple married in December. |
Button's spokesman said: "Two men broke into the property whilst they all slept and stole a number of items of jewellery including, most upsettingly, Jessica's engagement ring. | Button's spokesman said: "Two men broke into the property whilst they all slept and stole a number of items of jewellery including, most upsettingly, Jessica's engagement ring. |
"The police have indicated that this has become a growing problem in the region with perpetrators going so far as to gas their proposed victims through the air conditioning units before breaking in." | "The police have indicated that this has become a growing problem in the region with perpetrators going so far as to gas their proposed victims through the air conditioning units before breaking in." |
Analysis | Analysis |
Hugh Schofield, BBC News | Hugh Schofield, BBC News |
There has been an awful lot of rumour about sleeping gas burglaries in France, but precious little hard evidence. | There has been an awful lot of rumour about sleeping gas burglaries in France, but precious little hard evidence. |
A number of doubts spring to mind: What gas do they use? In what quantities? How do they ensure it will be effective in the right parts of the house? And through the air-conditioning system? Really? | A number of doubts spring to mind: What gas do they use? In what quantities? How do they ensure it will be effective in the right parts of the house? And through the air-conditioning system? Really? |
In the camping-car community, there have been persistent claims about burglars using sleeping gas. | In the camping-car community, there have been persistent claims about burglars using sleeping gas. |
On chat-lines, holiday-makers share their experiences and ask about ways to protect themselves. | On chat-lines, holiday-makers share their experiences and ask about ways to protect themselves. |
But again - no-one has ever appeared in court charged with gassing and stealing. No police-officer is on the record. | But again - no-one has ever appeared in court charged with gassing and stealing. No police-officer is on the record. |
Who knows? Maybe Jenson Button was indeed the target of a gas-and-steal. | Who knows? Maybe Jenson Button was indeed the target of a gas-and-steal. |
The head of a security firm I spoke with in St Tropez says he has never heard of an actual case of a sleeping gas burglary. "I don't believe in it at all," is what he said. | The head of a security firm I spoke with in St Tropez says he has never heard of an actual case of a sleeping gas burglary. "I don't believe in it at all," is what he said. |
Do French burglars really use gas? | |
Button, 35, who drives for team McLaren, is based in Monaco, about 80 miles (130km) along the coast from Saint-Tropez. He won the F1 championship in 2009 driving for Brawn GP and finished in eighth place in 2014. | Button, 35, who drives for team McLaren, is based in Monaco, about 80 miles (130km) along the coast from Saint-Tropez. He won the F1 championship in 2009 driving for Brawn GP and finished in eighth place in 2014. |
Have you been affected by the issues in this story? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk to share your experiences. | Have you been affected by the issues in this story? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk to share your experiences. |
Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |