NICE, France (Reuters) - Jenson Button may have been gassed during a burglary at a rented villa in St Tropez, a spokesman for the former Formula One world champion has told the BBC.
Button and wife Jessica were staying with friends in France when two men broke in. They stole jewelry worth 300,000 euros ($327,810.00), according to a police spokesman for the Var region.
"Mr Button learned about the burglary as he woke up. Nobody was hurt," the police spokesman said. When asked by Reuters, the French police had no information about the possible use of gas.
However, a spokesman for the racing driver told the BBC that gas may have been used during the burglary.
"Two men broke into the property whilst they all slept and stole a number of items of jewelry 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," he added.
Button, the 2009 world champion, has endured a nightmare year in Formula One.
His McLaren team had their worst ever start to a season and had scored just four points from their first eight races before Button and team mate Fernando Alonso picked up 13 points between them at the British and Hungarian grands prix.