This is London.
Star's break-in terror
By Alistair Foster and Justin Davenport, Evening Standard 18 May 2005
Chelsea star Frank Lampard and his pregnant fiancÈe were subjected to a terrifying ordeal by burglars today.
Two intruders smashed into the couple's Chelsea home at about 4am. Lampard, 26, and Elen Rives - who is expecting a girl in July - were believed to have been in bed when the men broke into their new £3 million townhouse.
The couple were reported to have been "terrified" after the men vandalised rooms and daubed slogans around the house.
Ms Rives, a 28-year-old Spanish model, was said to be undergoing medical checks today.
A spokesman for Chelsea said the couple had only been in the house, off Fulham Road, "for a matter of days".
The intruders took the keys to a Mercedes Jeep and an Aston Martin DB9 and loaded the vehicles with a plasma TV screen and computer equipment before fleeing.
The Aston Martin is worth up to £110,000. One man was arrested when a patrol car stopped one of the stolen vehicles. Scotland Yard said the suspects forced entry into the house by breaking through the front door.
One of the vehicles was recovered abandoned in Chelsea and the other was found in Battersea after hi-tech tracker devices were activated.
Lampard was said to be "shaken up but unharmed".
The footballer underwent surgery yesterday on his foot for an injury which prevented him from flying to Korea with the rest of the Chelsea team for a post-season tour.
The former West Ham player has been the force behind Chelsea's drive to the Championship, scoring 19 goals from midfield.
Lampard was named as the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year last week.
A spokesman for Chelsea said that after phoning 999, Lampard called the club, who contacted police and activated the tracker system on the cars.
The club denied reports that the burglars forced Lampard and Ms Rives to sit and watch as they wrecked part of the house.
