Jenson Button Burgled in France

British Formula One driver Jenson Button and his wife Jessica were burgled while on holiday on the French Riviera, with thieves making off with her engagement ring, a spokesman said Thursday.

The couple were in a rented villa in the glitzy resort of Saint-Tropez with friends when the robbery happened on Monday evening.

"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 spokesman said.

The thieves may have operated by pumping gas into the house through the air conditioning, he added.

"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."

"Whilst unharmed everyone involved is unsurprisingly shaken by the events."

British newspaper The Sun reported that valuables worth £300,000 ($465,000, 426,000 euros) were stolen in the raid.

Button, 35, is currently signed to team McLaren and lives in Monaco, along the Mediterranean coast from Saint-Tropez.