F-1 Boss Injured in London Robbery

Topics:  Bernie Ecclestone

VOA Breaking News (Voice of America)
November 26, 2010 at 7:20 pm

The chief of Formula One auto racing, Bernie Ecclestone, has sustained minor injuries in an attack and robbery outside his London office.

Media reports Friday said four men were lying in wait for Ecclestone and his girlfriend as they arrived at the Formula One offices Wednesday night in the upscale Knightsbridge area of London. The assailants kicked and punched the 80-year-old billionaire to the ground and escaped with jewelry valued at about $315,000.

Police say Ecclestone was treated at the hospital for minor head injuries and released the same night. No other injuries were reported. There were no arrests in the case as of Friday.

Earlier this month, Ecclestone said criminals target their victims by looking for people who are, in his words, “a bit slow and simple.” He added that they never go after people who “look a bit bright.”

The Formula One boss made the remarks in comparing street violence in London to that in Brazil when responding to news of an attempted armed carjacking of former Formula One champion Jenson Button in Sao Paulo ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Some information in this story was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.