RICHARD HAMMOND GASSED THEN ROBBED ON HOLIDAY

A string of burglaries in St Tropez, France, have been occurring and only the famous are being targeted, with Richard Hammond as the latest among five other incidents of people who have been gassed and robbed in their sleep.

Richard Hammond, the 48-year-old TV presenter was staying with his family and friends in a villa in Saint-Tropez when they were targeted and robbed in their sleep. Richards wife, Mindy, explained to reporters that they must have been gassed because the thieves walked into every room and rummaged through all the drawers and bags all before leaving.

All the guests struggled to wake up the next morning and when they did they had found all their doors open and belongings missing. Describing the experience as a "horror story", Mindy told the Sunday Express how she almost came face to face with the night-time intruders. After hearing a door shut downstairs and going down to investigate, she heard a "male voice behind the door", but went back to bed thinking it was one of the other couples. It was only later she realised it was the voice of one of the burglars.

"That just makes my blood run cold. I could have easily walked in and it could have been unpleasant," she said.

The Hammond's hired security for the remainder of their stay and the CCTV camera shows two burglars whose faces were caught on camera and arrested less than 48 hours later.

Other victims of this anaesthetic-based gas robbery in France have been F1 driver Jenson Button and his wife, where 300,000 pounds of jewellery was stolen while they slept, as well as ex-Arsenal footballer Viera and TV stylists Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine.