JENSON AND JESSICA GASSED DURING BURGLARY IN FRANCE

While holidaying on the French Riviera, Jenson Button and his wife Jessica were victims of a burglary, in which gas was reportedly used to stun them.

Button’s spokesman told BBC: “Two men, who stole jewellery including Jessica’s engagement ring, may have pumped anaesthetic gas through the air conditioning before breaking in on Monday.”

“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 spokesman added that the couple, who were with friends in a rented villa in Saint-Tropez, were unharmed but everyone was “unsurprisingly shaken”.

The Sun newspaper reports that valuables worth over €400,000 were stolen, and added: “Police have told Jenson they’re convinced the burglars gassed the house using the air conditioning units.

“Over the past five years it’s becoming an increasingly common way for top criminals to launch raids on expensive properties in the area without being disturbed. The burglars were in the same room as him and Jessica, rifling through all their drawers.”

“But they weren’t disturbed at all because the effects of the gas gives the burglars free rein. It was the same for their three other friends — they were all completely out of it.”

“The first they were aware was when they woke up groggy the next morning and realised the house had been turned upside down. It was a terrifying experience for them to know these criminals were actually in the room with them.”

Button, the 2009 Formula 1 world champion who currently drives for McLaren, is based in Monaco, about 130km along the coast from Saint-Tropez.