James Cracknell burgled while in hospital

Mr Cracknell still suffers health problems following a road accident three years ago which nearly killed him Photo: ANDREW CROWLEY By Ben Farmer

7:47PM GMT 05 Dec 2013

Burglars broke into the home of Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell while he was in hospital, and stole more than £20,000 of personal possessions and bicycles.

The thieves struck while his wife, Beverley Turner, and his three children were asleep upstairs at their home in West London.

Mr Cracknell still suffers health problems following a road accident three years ago which nearly killed him, and he was in Charing Cross Hospital overnight for tests.

He told The Telegraph: "It's terrifying to think that thieves broke into my home while I was away and my family were sleeping upstairs.

“I am especially upset about a camera which has gone containing irreplaceable family photos."

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The thieves broke into the side of his semi-detached house and stole four bicycles as well as personal belongings.

Police are appealing for help to trace the distinctive bikes, including a red and white Pinarello Prince and three top-of-the-range black and white Merida mountain bikes.

Ms Turner said: “Although I'm not a fan of bicycles cluttering up our garage, I do feel sorry for James as he has spent years forming a collection of his favourites. I'm just grateful that my children were not hurt in any way.”

Mr Cracknell, a double Olympic gold medal winner, was left with a brain injury after being struck from behind by a petrol tanker during an attempt to cycle, row, run and swim from Los Angeles to New York.

The crash in Arizona in July 2010 injured the frontal lobes of the 41-year-old’s brain, which govern personality. It left him with epilepsy, a short temper, bouts of aggression and memory loss.

A thief also broke into his home in 2006. The medals Cracknell won in the coxless fours in Sydney in 2000 and Athens four years later were stolen along with £200,000 worth of laptops, watches and jewellery.

A man was jailed for three years for the theft.

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