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A brazen thief who snatched a suitcase laden with £250,000 worth of jewellery and designer bags belonging to Jenson Button's wife, Brittny, outside St Pancras station has been imprisoned for three years and four months. The targeted theft, which occurred as the couple returned from a romantic trip to Paris, has left Mrs. Button feeling "unsafe" and hesitant to return to the UK.
Mourad Aid, 41, of Greatorex Street, Tower Hamlets, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty in February to the theft. He also admitted to a similar bag snatch on another victim, James Humphrey Evans, on November 24, 2024. Aid, who has been residing in the UK illegally, now faces deportation following his sentence.
The dramatic theft unfolded as former Formula One champion Jenson Button was assisting a chauffeur with loading luggage into a car. Seizing the momentary distraction, Aid grabbed Brittny Button's carry-on suitcase and vanished into the bustling crowd. The bag contained irreplaceable sentimental and antique jewellery, including items Mrs. Button had hoped to pass down to her daughter, alongside two Kelly bags valued at approximately £70,000.
British Transport Police (BTP) apprehended Aid just four days after the theft, on February 17th, in the Hatton Garden jewellery district.
Investigating officer DC Michael Taylor praised the swift action of the officers involved, stating, “Aid acted brazenly and opportunistically to steal a suitcase from complete strangers, causing them considerable anxiety and worry over their belongings, so I am very happy with the result in this case.” He reiterated BTP's commitment to tackling crime on the railway and encouraged the public to report any incidents.
Brittny Button, 34, a model and interior designer, expressed her shock and dismay following the incident. "I was kind of shocked. How like unsecure everything felt [in London] just so many people, [and] so chaotic," she said. The mother-of-two revealed the theft has significantly altered her perception of safety in the capital.
"I don't really have many things from my parents, I don't really have many family heirlooms and I wish I did. So it's really heartbreaking,” Mrs. Button shared, highlighting the sentimental value of the stolen items, which included jewellery from her wedding and her daughter's birth.
While commending the BTP for their rapid response, she admitted, "My husband and I we really have no interest going back to the UK and it's a shame, because, you know, we will have to go back for family and work. It just feels so unsafe and doesn't feel how it once was, and its just unfortunate because that's where my children's grandmother and aunts live.”
Mrs. Button noted she had heard "countless stories" of similar ordeals and felt London "doesn’t feel the same" as it did when she began dating the Formula One driver a decade ago. "I'm normally pretty cautious when I'm out in public and travelling, but I just didn't think that there were gangs literally just waiting for people and watching,” she added.
During sentencing, Recorder Kate Blackwell KC highlighted that Aid had presented a "string of lies" when arrested and continued to mislead probation services even after his guilty plea.
The couple, who reside in Calabasas, California, married in March 2022 and have two children. The incident occurred while Jenson Button’s suitcase was being loaded into the front of the chauffeur's vehicle, creating the brief window of opportunity for Aid to snatch his wife's luggage.
