‘Ted Lasso burglary gang’ victim tells of £250k jewellery theft horror in raids on

A victim of a ‘Ted Lasso‘ burglary gang who have raided a series of multi-million pound homes after they featured in the hit comedy show told today how she £250,000 worth of jewellery stolen.

The mother-of-three – who asked not to be identified – believes the thieves were watching her property before they broke in just after dusk on December 18 last year.

She said the gang raided her three-floor townhouse on Richmond Green, south-west London after watching her leave to walk the dogs.

They ransacked an office and found a safe she keeps hidden in a cupboard.

Using crowbars they wrenched the safe from the floorboards and carried it to the back of a van parked nearby.

The raiders then fled with a quarter of a million worth of gems including her wedding and engagement rings, watches and family heirlooms.

The brazen attack was the third of four in the area over two months by a professional burglary gang who also targeted the home of the Verve singer Richard Ashcroft.

Speaking to MailOnline, the homeowner said: ‘Our lives have been turned upside down by this, these thieves invaded our home and stole a fortune in jewellery.

The raiders fled with a quarter of a million worth of gems including her wedding and engagement rings, watches and family heirlooms

The victim said: ‘My wedding and engagement rings, watches, Chanel handbags and a lot of family jewels handed down that were not only priceless but of great sentimental value were all taken’

The brazen attack was the third of four in Richmond Green (pictured) over two months by a professional burglary gang

‘They’d obviously had a good rummage around, we believe they were looking for high-value items and safes. Our safe was in the back of a cupboard in an office.

‘We’d deliberately hid it behind a load of clutter in the cupboard but they still managed to find it.

‘The really awful thing is that I think they must have been watching the house before going in.

‘This wasn’t a burglary in the dead of night, it happened during a 90-minute window between 4.30pm and 6pm. It had only just got dark.

‘They must have watched me go out to walk the dogs with the children. My husband came home first and noticed that the back doors had been jammied open.

‘Then he noticed the office had been ransacked and that the safe had actually been ripped from the floor and stolen.

‘There was a quarter of a million pounds worth of jewellery inside. My wedding and engagement rings, watches, Chanel handbags and a lot of family jewels handed down that were not only priceless but of great sentimental value were all taken.

‘The dogs had been acting a little strangely beforehand, they’d been going to the end of the garden as if they could sense something.

The professional gang targeted homes in the area after seeing them on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso which stars Jason Sudeikis (pictured) and Hannah Waddingham

‘We think the burglars came in via the neighbour’s garden.

‘They’ve escaped with a massive haul. Knowing thieves have been traipsing through your home is sickening, the only positive is that none of us – dogs included – were hurt.’

The victim added: ‘The burglars have targeted a number of other homes, not just on Richmond Green but in surrounding areas.

‘One of the houses targeted was rented at the time. The tenants were so distraught at being burgled that they left almost immediately afterwards. The property is currently empty.’

The professional gang targeted homes in the area after seeing them on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso which stars Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham.

Much of the comedy is set around Richmond Green – an affluent London suburb known for its Georgian buildings and quaint pubs, shops and cafes.

Sudeikis’ character, a US football coach, even manages fictional side AFC Richmond in the series.

The first burglary took place on November 8 when an eight-bedroom property was turned over. The thieves made off with a safe containing valuables including jewellery.

The gang raided a victim’s three-floor townhouse on Richmond Green, South West London after watching her leave to walk the dogs

Then in early December, a £3.3million home that was used by Hannah’s character, businesswoman Rebecca Welton, was targeted.

However, the raid was unsuccessful and the suspects ran off, abandoning a ladder in the garden in their rush.

The homeowner of that property – who also wanted to remain anonymous – told MailOnline: ‘It was terrifying. We were at home at the time, it was only 4pm.

‘We could see these shadows in the garden outside the house. It was dark at that point and so couldn’t make out what was happening too much.

‘Nothing was stolen, we must have disturbed them. We have CCTV footage which we’ve given to the police.’

Rock legend Ashcroft was unavailable today but it is understood the burglary at his home took place on December 28 and was the last of the four Richmond Green raids. It happened while he and his wife Kate Radley were out.

According to The Sun, the Metropolitan Police suspect the crimes are being carried out by a team of professional criminals from South America.

‘Four olive-skinned suspects’ wielding crowbars and wearing caps and gloves reportedly were involved in the raids, a source told the newspaper.