Former professional cyclist Mark Cavendish has opened up about the terrifying armed robbery that took place at his family home in Essex in late 2021, revealing that he still experiences flashbacks from the traumatic event.
The 39-year-old, who has since retired from professional cycling, was confronted by armed intruders who held a zombie knife to his throat during the raid. The thieves, who were masked, stole valuables including two watches worth a combined £700,000, a Louis Vuitton suitcase, phones, and a safe. In the aftermath, three of the four perpetrators were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years, while one individual remains at large.
In a candid interview with The Telegraph, Cavendish recounted the moment of terror, describing how he felt “helpless” during the ordeal. “I get flashbacks all the time,” he said. “To have a zombie knife held up to your throat in front of your kid? It was horrific.”
Reflecting on his initial reaction, Cavendish admitted that while he instinctively fought back, the threat of a knife at his neck left him powerless to act. “You think about what you could have done differently,” he explained. “Everyone thinks, ‘I’d fight.’ And of course, I was swinging at first. But I tell you, anybody gets a knife held to their neck, you can’t do anything. Like, my wife’s there, my kid. I was helpless to do anything.”
The robbery occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2021, while Cavendish, his wife Peta, and their young son, Casper, were asleep. During one of the subsequent trials, a statement from Peta was read in court, revealing that one of the thieves had threatened Cavendish with the chilling words, “Do you want me to stab you in front of your kid?”
Despite the harrowing experience, Cavendish expressed a sense of relief that he was present during the crime. “I’m happier I was there than if it happened to Peta and the kids when I was away,” he said. “I would never have forgiven myself.”
The thieves were reportedly targeting a specific Richard Mille watch, valued at approximately £2 million, which Cavendish had been loaned for an award ceremony but had already returned by the time of the robbery.
Following the sentencing of the criminals in 2023, Peta Cavendish shared her emotional reaction, stating that the robbery had “turned a loving family home into a constant reminder of threat and fear.” She added, “No family should ever have to go through what we went through. But no matter what the sentence was, any parent will understand, I’m sure, that no time in prison could make up for what they did to us that night.”
Essex Police continue to search for the fourth suspect, George Goddard, in connection with the crime.
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