Formula One Driver and Girlfriend Gassed and Robbed of $465,000 While Vacationing

This morning, an unnamed spokesman for Button reported to BBC that Button, his wife and the three other houseguests are still shaken up from the robbery that took place on Monday.

According to The Sun, the group was vacationing at a rented villa in Saint-Tropez over the weekend.

Button’s spokesman said the group is convinced that they were gassed Sunday night because they woke up groggy the following morning and the entire place was turned upside down.

While they reported $465,000 worth of losses, Buttons’ spokesman said the couple is most distraught about the $387,000 three-stone diamond and platinum engagement ring.

The Sun reports that it is likely that the robbers were staking the place out and watching the group go to and from the house.

While Button’s spokesman said the police told them it is becoming common for criminals to raid expensive houses with sleeping gas, some experts are highly skeptical of these methods.

Although nothing can be ruled out until the investigation is complete, the Royal College of Anaesthetics said that it was “highly unlikely” for robbers to pump sleeping gas through the vents. Philippe Guemas, deputy prosecutor in Draguignan, France said:

BBC reports that blood samples have been taken and that they will be analyzed, but for now the methods are unclear. Police, however, are fairly certain that the robbery was a two-man job.

While Button has a net worth of over $77 million, the ring is assumed to be irreplaceable as his spokesman said it meant more to the couple because it held sentimental value.

In 2009, Button dedicated his World Championship to Michibata, so it comes as no surprise that the ring was worth more to the couple than the money paid for it.