THIS is the shocking moment a thief stole a suitcase, with more than £250,000 worth of luxury items, from the wife of former F1 driver Jenson Button.
Brittny Button, 34, says the couple now have “no interest” in flying back to the UK after they were targeted by the thug who nicked the bag, which also contained lavish jewellery and designer handbags.
Brittny and Jenson Button were targeted by yobs in a robbery in February[/caption]
This is the moment the yob was seen strolling through the streets after taking the expensive bag[/caption]
The former model’s suitcase, which contained more than £250,000 worth of luxury and sentimental items, was nicked by thieves[/caption]
They had been holidaying in Paris before being robbed on their return to London on February 13.
After arriving back at St Pancras station in the capital, Jenson, 45, began loading their belongings with their chauffeur into a car, Brittny told the Mail.
While he was distracted, a thug swooped in and sped away with her Goyard carry-on suitcase in just seconds.
Footage shows the moment the yob can be seen waltzing through the streets around St Pancras railway station and the British Library, wheeling the red suitcase.
Brittny, a former Playboy model, revealed the bag had more than £250,000 worth of items, including countless sentimental objects and antique jewellery from her wedding and the birth of her daughter.
The suitcase also contained two Kelly bags, which together are worth a whopping £70,000.
Brittny explained she would have normally packed less luxurious items for a holiday, and used a more plain carry-on, but had chosen to take more as the couple were travelling for Valentine’s Day.
Many of the stolen items were then listed online, following the theft, although these were later deleted.
Recounting the moment, Brittny described how “shocked” she was at how “unsecure and chaotic” London felt.
As Jensen was loading his bag into the front seat of the chauffeur’s car, with his back turned to the expensive carry-on, the brazen criminal quickly ran off into the busy station with Brittny’s suitcase.
She believes they were being watched beforehand as the bag was nicked so quickly.
Rushing away with the many of the sentimental items Brittny one day hoped to pass on to her daughter, the former model broke down into tears.
Brittny, now an interior designer, says the experience left her “traumatised” and cast a dark cloud over their getaway, as they quickly headed to the airport for their return flight home to California.
She said: “It definitely was shocking that I just didn’t think.
“I’m normally pretty cautious when I’m out in public and travelling, but I just didn’t think that there were gangs literally just waiting for people and watching.”
Brittny has since praised British Transport Police for their quick response, with the thief being brought to justice just six days after the robbery.
After CCTV was circulated to local teams, plain clothes officers managed to arrest the assailant, Mourad Aid, 41, who later pleaded guilty on February 19 to the theft.
He has been remanded in custody for sentencing.
Brittny had hoped to pass the luxury bags on to her daughter in the future[/caption]
She now says she has ‘no interest’ in visiting London again after the ‘traumatising’ theft[/caption]
Mourad Aid, 41, pleaded guilty to stealing the bag at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on February 19[/caption]
Despite the quick action from cops, the mum-of-two may never see her stolen items again, as many were listed online just days after the theft.
She explained that after seeing them listed online, she realised she wouldn’t want to meet with random people to try and retrieve the items.
Brittny added she knew the items were hers as there were specific blemishes or missing attachments which she recognised.
The designer had hoped to give these valuable bags to her daughter as she grew up, and considered them to be a long-term investment for her children.
Brittny continued that London no longer “felt the same” as when she had started dating Jensen a decade ago.
She explained that the city felt far less safe than before, adding that she had no passion or desire to return to the city.
However, she said it would be difficult as much of Jensen’s family live in the city.
British Transport Police said Mourad Aid pleaded guilty to theft at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on February 19.
He had been arrested by plain clothes officers on February 17, after the couple had been robbed four days earlier.