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news
Mark Cavendish burglary (via Essex Police)Mark Cavendish “violently attacked” in armed robbery at his Essex home
Mark Cavendish has revealed that he was “violently attacked” by an armed gang that had broken into his home in Ongar, Essex, the four masked men also threatening his wife and children before ransacking the house.
The break-in happened in the early hours of Saturday 27 November – just four days after he had been released from hospital in Belgium and returning to the UK after sustaining a punctured lung and broken ribs in a crash at the Ghent Six Day event the previous weekend.
The 36-year-old, who last week signed a one-year contract extension with Deceuninck-Quick Step, appealed for information about the identity of the burglars on Twitter, and said that the psychological impact of the raid had more of an impact on him and his family than the financial and sentimental value of what was taken.
— Mark Cavendish (@MarkCavendish) December 8, 2021
The former world champion and two-time Tour de France green jersey winner said: “In the early hours of 27th November, while recovering at our Essex family home shortly after leaving Intensive Care, 4 masked and armed men threatened my wife and children and violently attacked me. At knifepoint, they proceeded to ransack our belongings.
“Amongst what was taken, were 2 watches of great sentiment and value. But far, far worse to be taken was the sense of security, safety, privacy and dignity that my young family and everybody else is entitled to in their own home.”
He added: “The effect that this nightmare has had on my family is already heart-breakingly evident, so I beg anybody who may be able to help us with information to call 101, quoting reference 42/275184/21.”
Essex Police say that they were called to the house at 2.35am, and that two high-value watches as well as a Louis Vuitton suitcase were stolen, and have provided pictures of them.
The watches are made by Swiss brand Richard Mille, with which Cavendish has had a very close relationship for a number of years. Prices for Mille timepieces run well into six figures and beyond.
Detective Inspector Tony Atkin, the senior investigating officer, said:
This was undoubtedly a targeted incident at the home of a celebrated British Olympian, who at the time was recovering from significant injuries resulting from a crash whilst competing, which was well publicised. Our investigation is moving along at pace and we are following a number of lines of inquiry as we seek to catch those responsible.
Mr Cavendish and his wife were assaulted and threatened in their own home, in the presence of their young children, who witnessed these events. Thankfully, they are recovering, but the traumatic effect will be long standing.
Today, we are releasing images of the people captured on CCTV fleeing the scene and we would urge anyone who recognises them to get in contact with us immediately.
We are also releasing images of the suitcase and two watches which were stolen during the incident.
It is likely the people who stole these items are attempting to offload them for sizeable sums of money and I would urge anyone who is being offered these items to please get in touch with us – they are stolen property.
If you have been offered these items, please contact us immediately.
We know an incident such as this will naturally cause a lot of concern within the community.
There will continue to be a visible policing presence in the area as our investigations progress in the coming days.
In a statement issued via Essex Police, Cavendish said:
As I’m sure you will understand, this incident has left our family extremely distressed – not just myself and Peta but our children as well, who feared for their lives and are now struggling with the after-effects. No one should have to experience the sort of violence and threats made against us, let alone this happening in a family home – a place where everyone should feel safe.
The items taken are simply material goods and our priority at the moment is to make sure we all recover from the incident as a family, and we know this is likely to take some time.
We would like to place on record our thanks to Essex Police for a really quick response and the professionalism and the focus they are clearly putting into the investigation.
Police have asked for “Anyone who was in the Ongar area between 2am and 2.40am on 27 November and saw anybody acting suspiciously, or has any information that could help with our investigation, should contact Loughton CID on 101 quoting reference 42/275184/21.
“You can submit a report online or use the 'Live Chat' button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.
“Alternatively, you can call 101.
“Information can also be given to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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21 comments
I am glad Cav will never see this, but those watches are f****** awful. Get well soon our kid, you are much more precious to us.
He's not, he's from the Isle of Man. Peta's from Essex I believe, which probably explains their choice of it as his UK base. They still have their house in the Isle of Man but during the season it obviously takes a big chunk of travelling time off to be near the hub airports around London.
P.S. If this had happened to him in London you'd be saying "Not surprising, London is a crime-ridden toilet" - funny you've managed to comment on this story without even actually mentioning the story, isn't it?
He actually lives near Ongar and i can assure you there are enough n'er do wells in the area without them coming in by tube.
There is plenty of crime and there have been a fair few home invasions over the last few years.
Nope, according to Boo, all criminals in the whole of the UK come from London, by tube to rob all places elsewhere. The same with the shop robbed in Hertsfordshire. They caught the tube up to Hatfield and walked the rest of the way. I expect it is also Khans fault for illegal Xmas parties in parts of London last year.
Perhaps no one told them the central line stopped serving Ongar in 94 and they caught the nice steam train by mistake?
If you knew, why are you talking rubbish then?
Why does the scorpion sting?
Awful. The last thing he needed at that time.
So sorry for him and his family. Sounds like he was targeted.
I hope the police gathered some evidence, they've probably got an idea of who it could have been. Doubtless it was drug-related.
Drug related? I doubt it. Unless you're implying Cav is a drug dealer?
This is directly related to property theft. Specifically those watches I'd guess. I'm a watch lover myself and have always admired the ones on Cav's wrist while he's riding.
Julian Alaphillipe also has a Richard Mille. Again, he swears it while riding so I'm sure I'm not the only one that's noticed it.
Those 2 watches of Cav's alone must have been half a million pounds worth and whatever else they managed to pilfer as well. Not a bad nights takings really.
I'd be amazed if they ever recover these or actually catch who's done this. Cav is a cyclist after all so the effort put in by the plod will be minimal at best.
I hope everyone is ok though, this must have been terrifying.
Absolutely horrible news! All the best to Cav and family.
However...
Richard Mille watches are an offence to any serious horologists. Anything with a case size over 40mm should be melted.
Drug related = stealing stuff to sell to buy drugs.
I knew someone who lived in a rough area of Leeds and they left £10 on the kitchen table every night in case of a random break in.
Pure conjecture, but I'd imagine those watches would be very hard to shift/fence, particularly if limited editions.
Using them as collateral in a drugs deal, however ... ?
Yes, according to people I know in the art world paintings are virtually never stolen for the mythical billionaire who keeps them for his own enjoyment in a secret underground gallery, they're used as tokens in deals - rolling up an Old Master in a tube and driving it across borders in the boot of a car is much harder to trace than bank transfers or even cash.
Which is exactly what I want you to think...
I'm sure that this is a stupid question, but I'm neither a criminal nor an economist. If something is too hot to sell openly, and so can only be used for illegal trade, why does it still have value? Illegal drugs fall into that category, but at least they can be distributed in smaller packages for cash. But why would someone accept an old master in payment, if all they can do with it is buy other illegal goods? Isn't it pure liability for whoever holds it at any given time? How do you cash out?
Well if you're already in the illegal goods market presumably swapping one illegal thing for another isn't such a bad deal? As for finally liquidating the asset I think you can convert it into non-fumigatable-bit-tokens or something? Captain Badger can explain...
Sure, but aren't most people in the illegal goods market with a view to making money to buy more usual goods (houses, cars, bling, Colnagos), rather than just because they like trading illegal goods? I'm an innocent.
I thought Cryptos would have made this redundant. And you can cash out to the next mug in the Ponzi scheme when you need to (if you're not too late).
I'm a bit hazy on the economics of it myself, I guess it's a bit like bitcoin, if the members of a particular community agree it has value, it has value. It certainly happens, several times the Italian police have captured Old Masters that had been circulating amongst the Mafia families for years as a form of currency.
I guess I'm being simplistic because I can't fathom an individual art for drugs trade, but I guess this sort of thing is just one part of a portfolio (quite enjoying that unintentional pun) of deals and investments, in a group who already have quite a high risk tolerance!