A naked millionaire was battered with hammers by three masked men during a robbery in Berkshire.
The raiders used a ladder to climb through the window of the house in Sonning, Berkshire, where a seven-year-old girl was sleeping.
The gang escaped with more than £50,000 in cash and jewellery and also stole the family’s £57,000 Audi Q7.
The raid happened on Pearson Road in Sonning-on-Thames, pictured
George Clooney, pictured with his wife Amal have an £11-million house in the area
Theresa May and her husband Philip also have a home in the area
Detectives said that the brazen raid happened in the early hours of Thursday in the riverside village of Sonning-on-Thames. Both Prime Minister Theresa May and George Clooney have homes in the area.
The alarm was raised just before 12.30am when the householder heard a noise and confronted one of the thieves climbing in through an upstairs window. The thugs had used a ladder snatched from the garden of a neighbouring house and all three burglars climbed in through the upstairs window.
Police said that the husband living at the house in Sonning’s Pearson Road was beaten with the hammer by one of the raiders as the others pushed past him and started searching the rooms.
After scooping up the valuable jewellery including a platinum watch and a large amount of cash, the trio grabbed the Audi car keys and fled in the vehicle, dumping it just one road away where it was thought they transferred to a getaway car.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said today: ‘We are appealing for witnesses following an aggravated burglary in Sonning.
‘Shortly before 12.30am on Thursday three offenders entered a home in Pearson Road, through an open window on the first floor, using a ladder from a neighbouring garden.
‘One of the residents confronted the offenders and he was hit with a hammer and kicked in his ribs. He did not sustain serious injuries.
‘The offenders, who were carrying a hammer and an axe, threatened the homeowners and stole a large quantity of cash, jewellery, passports and a platinum watch. They also stole an Audi Q7 which was driven away and abandoned in Sonning Lane.
‘The offenders were all men. One was white, 5ft 9ins tall and of medium build. He was wearing a tracksuit with his hood up and a face covering.
‘The second offender was black, 5ft 8ins tall and of medium build. He had his hood up and was wearing a face covering and gloves. No description is currently available for the third offender. All of the offenders were wearing masks and gloves.’
Investigating officer Detective Constable Craig Cole, of Force CID based at Newbury police station, said: ‘We are working to identify and locate the offenders who entered a family home and stole a number of high value items.
‘I appreciate incidents of this nature can cause concern and patrols are taking place in the area while we investigate. If you have any information or saw anything suspicious in the area at around the time of the offence please call police as we would like to speak to you.’