Terrified pregnant Michelle Keegan & Mark Wright locked themselves in bedroom after masked raiders target £3.5m mansion
HEAVILY pregnant actress Michelle Keegan and her husband Mark Wright locked themselves in a bedroom when four masked raiders broke into their mansion.
The couple, 37 and 38, heard a window smash and the alarm go off at their £3.5million home.
It was understood four suspects were inside the £3.5million property for around a minute but left when they heard Mark yelling.
Police were also alerted via the state-of-the-art security system, and arrived at the couple’s Essex mansion within minutes.
By then the gang, said to be wearing balaclavas and all dressed in black, had fled empty-handed in a getaway car.
Mark, 38, and Michelle, 37, were tonight said to be relieved but “very shaken up” by the ordeal.
A source told The Sun: “It was a traumatic experience for both of them but they are relieved that neither of them were injured.
“Mark did the sensible thing and stayed with his wife to make sure she was OK and they waited for police to arrive before leaving the room. It was a horrible thing to go through, particularly for someone who is heavily pregnant.
“They are understandably very shaken up by what happened.”
The gang, who detectives believe were professionals looking for a “big score”, got on to the countryside property’s extensive grounds just after 6pm on Tuesday.
It was thought a camera detected them making their way towards the house and Mark and Michelle received phone alerts.
Heart FM host Mark then heard a patio window smash and the alarm go off.
The source said: “Mark realised someone was breaking into the house. His first thoughts were for Michelle’s protection and he acted swiftly.”
Another source added: “As well as alerting them, the security system also notified the police and they came incredibly quickly.
“Mark and Michelle came out of their bedroom when the police arrived and spoke to them. They also gave them access to the CCTV.
“This has been a truly horrible thing to have happened to them. It is a very special time with their first baby on the way and this has been very difficult.”
Experts said the villains could have been attracted to the house by the couple’s Instagram page, which details how they created their “dream home.”
The account, Wrightyhome, has 663,000 followers and has been viewed by millions.
Last week the couple and their home also featured in a glossy spread in Hello! magazine.
FANS CAN PEEK IN
By Ellie Henman
MARK Wright set up an Instagram account so fans could see the couple “create our dream home” from scratch in 2021.
Wrightyhome’s 663,000 followers were treated to dozens of interior and exterior photos and videos of the house, which boasts a swimming pool, luxury gym and bespoke kitchen.
There are also aerial “before-and-after” shots of the Essex property, which was completed in 2023.
Mark’s last post on the account was as recent as February 8, when he shared photos of the “mind-blowing” staircase.
Companies who worked on the property have also shared pictures and videos online.
Mark’s wife Michelle Keegan told last year of the “sacrifices” they made to get it done.
She said: “It still gets me emotional. Because we’ve worked really hard for it. We’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices. I missed lots of milestones in my life due to work. Mark went to LA and we spent months apart, which was hard. But, it’s worth it.
“And the house — it’s also about security. Because you never know when all this is going to end.”
Ex-Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville said: “The vast majority of people will look at an Instagram page for the right reasons.
“But if you are going to put your home in the public spotlight then there will be wicked people who try to take advantage of that.
“They will analyse images of the property to look for weaknesses in security and utilise that for their own nefarious purposes.”
He praised Mark’s cool-headed response, saying: “Nobody should confront burglars as you never know what weapons they might have. Staying with his pregnant wife and ensuring she was OK was exactly the right thing to do.”
The day before the break-in, former Corrie star Michelle enjoyed a “girls only” day out at a top restaurant with Mark’s mum and two sisters and close friends.
Mark’s sister Natalya posted pics of Monday’s event and said: “We organised the perfect ‘girls only’ day before a baby Wright arrives.”
Mark and Michelle began building their dream home in 2020 — inspired by Hollywood properties and Georgian architecture — and it took two years to complete.
A pal close to the couple said Mark insisted a high-level security system was put in place.
The friend said: “He was keen to make sure the house was protected when he set up the Instagram page.”
They added: “He doesn’t like being away from Michelle and wanted to know she would be safe in the house if they were ever targeted. To know the system they have in place works so well has given him huge peace of mind.”
Celebrity mansion raids
IN the last year many other reality stars have become a victim of the crime, including Chloe Ferry, Davide Sanclimenti and Jacqueline Jossa.
Let’s take a look at some of the most recent break-ins that have happened…
Charlotte Crosby
- On Thursday 21st November 2024 a gang of masked robbers armed with machetes stormed inside her Sunderland home, while they were in with their two-year-old daughter Alba.
- Her fiancé Jake Ankers revealed what happened on his Instagram story, saying he tried to chase the thugs outside their house but failed to nab them after the horror ordeal.
Chloe Ferry
- The reality star broke down in tears in September as she moved out of her stunning property because she “didn’t feel safe” there anymore.
- Speaking to The Sun earlier this year, Chloe revealed: “Someone tries to rob my house all the time. Last month has been the longest month when no one has tried to rob it.
- “I’ve got gates on my property, because it’s been that bad, because they’re climbing over my gates, we’ve put spikes on the gates but since I’ve put spikes on they haven’t been back.”
Davide Sanclimenti
- Davide – who shot to fame on Love Island in 2022 – was left devastated after revealing there has been a burglary at his LA home in August.
- The star moved over to the US for a fresh start earlier this year.
- He claimed on his Instagram story that ‘£1m of valuables’ were taken in the raid.
Jacqueline Jossa
- EastEnders favourite Jacqueline feared armed intruders had snatched one of her kids in a raid on her holiday villa in August.
- Jac, husband Dan Osborne and their children went to Marbella in the summer to enjoy some family time together.
- The soap star saw two men in balaclavas rifling through her belongings — and feared one was carrying one of her children as he fled.
- She had £20,000 worth of jewels and cash stolen in the break-in.
Nick Grimshaw
- Nick was targeted by a masked gang of thieves in Ibiza who ransacked his luxury apartment.
- The former Radio 1 DJ had rented the villa to celebrate his 40th birthday with his family.
- It is believed the raid was targeted, following a spate of high level robberies on the White Isle.
The break-in comes after The Sun revealed last month how burglars targeted upmarket homes in South West London which featured on the Ted Lasso TV show.
Yesterday a piece of temporary plywood could be seen covering one of 15 bifold patio doors at the back of Mark and Michelle’s home.
Former semi-professional footballer Mark comes from an entrepreneurial family and is estimated to be worth £15million.
He shot to fame on Towie before appearing on a string of shows, including I’m A Celebrity and Strictly Come Dancing.
He started dating Stockport-born Michelle in 2012, and they married three years later.
But they were regularly apart as Mark built a TV career in the US and Michelle worked on projects in South Africa, Malaysia and Australia for shows including Ten Pound Poms and Our Girl.
After announcing her pregnancy in December, Michelle told Grazia magazine: “‘I’m going to take a good chunk of time off to enjoy being a mum.
“I’m never normally at home in the summer, I’ve always been away working, so I can’t wait.”
An Essex Police spokesman said yesterday its investigation into the burglary was continuing.
He added: “It was reported four suspects had forced entry to an address, carrying out a search of the property before fleeing. Within eight minutes, our officers were on the scene. We are continuing to support and safeguard the victims and are conducting high-visibility patrols in the area.
“We are exploring a number of lines of inquiry including but not limited to forensic opportunities, CCTV and witness statements.
“Anyone with information should contact us as soon as possible.”
INTRUDERS AT KIDMAN HOME
NICOLE Kidman became the latest star targeted by burglars when her home was “ransacked” on Valentine’s Day.
A security guard said intruders smashed through glass at the LA pad around 8pm.
It was not known what they took
The actress star, 57, was reportedly not in.