Jenson Button’s wife, Brittny Ward, has called on British politicians to introduce tougher immigration regulations after the Algerian criminal who stole her suitcase containing £250,000 worth of jewellery was released from prison early.
Ward said she hoped Mourad Aid, who was sentenced for the theft, had already been deported and would not find his way back into Britain.
She also questioned why foreign criminals were not required to serve their full prison sentences before being removed from the country.
The model made the comments after learning that Aid had been released after serving approximately one year and five months of his two-year-and-four-month sentence.
Brittny Ward Calls for Stricter Immigration Enforcement
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ward said people who enter a country and commit crimes should face deportation.
“Hopefully, he has been deported and he will not make his way back.
If you come to a country and commit crimes that is what should happen,” she said.
She added that she had expected Aid to serve his entire sentence but hoped his time behind bars would encourage him to change his behaviour.
Ward also called on politicians to examine immigration policies in other countries and introduce stricter measures.
“There needs to be a legal process to go live in a country and I think that our politicians need to wake up and see what’s happening in other countries,” she said.
Although she expressed disappointment over the incident, Ward maintained that she still had considerable affection for Britain, adding that she believed the country was doing a better job than the United States in some respects.
Algerian Thief Stole Suitcase Before Couple’s Paris Trip
The theft happened on February 13, 2025, when Ward and her Formula One champion husband were preparing to travel to Paris for Valentine’s Day.
Aid allegedly took advantage of the couple being distracted outside St Pancras Station in London to steal Ward’s Goyard carry-on suitcase.
The missing luggage contained jewellery worth approximately £250,000, including bracelets and rings with significant sentimental value.
It also contained two Hermès Kelly handbags valued at around £70,000.
None of the stolen possessions have been recovered.
Ward previously described the incident as traumatic, explaining that the experience had changed how she viewed London and Britain.
She said the couple had little interest in returning to the country, despite having family members and professional commitments there.
Criminal Was Released After Serving 17 Months
Aid was sentenced in May 2025 to two years and four months in prison after admitting several offences, including theft and handling stolen goods.
He had also admitted stealing a silver Rimowa cabin suitcase belonging to James Humphrey Evans on November 24, 2024.
The Algerian national was reportedly told that he would automatically face deportation following his release.
The Daily Mail understands that he has now been released after serving approximately 17 months behind bars.
He had initially been remanded in custody five days after the theft involving Ward.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that foreign nationals who receive prison sentences in Britain are referred for deportation.
Police Investigation Uncovered Stolen Property
Aid was also linked to another luggage theft involving Evans and his wife, who had travelled from Paris and arrived at King’s Cross railway station.
The criminal had reportedly been watching passengers arriving from the Eurostar before identifying potential targets.
On November 24, 2024, he and another man allegedly worked together to steal Evans’s Rimowa suitcase as the couple entered an Uber at approximately 9.20pm.
One man distracted the driver while the other took the luggage.
Evans subsequently used the tracking function on his iPhone to trace the suitcase, first locating it around Euston Square before tracking it to an apartment building in west London.
With assistance from a concierge, he obtained CCTV footage showing Aid and passed the evidence to police.
A subsequent search of a flat uncovered several items believed to have been stolen, including two laptops, one of which belonged to Evans.
The electronic devices had been wrapped in foil to prevent them from being tracked or remotely wiped.
Officers also discovered mobile phones wrapped in foil inside a fridge, alongside 10 suitcases and approximately 30 pairs of sunglasses.
Another man living at the property was arrested.
The value of the items taken from Evans was not established, although his suitcase contained cufflinks worth £500.
Aid was described as being closely connected to the network handling stolen goods, although he was considered a minor participant rather than someone controlling the wider operation.
Aid Arrested Days After Stealing Ward’s Luggage
Following the theft involving Ward, Aid allegedly breached bail conditions that prohibited him from visiting the same location.
Four days after the incident, plainclothes police officers arrested him in Hatton Garden.
During questioning, he reportedly gave investigators several conflicting accounts, initially claiming he had travelled to Algeria to attend a funeral.
He eventually admitted taking Ward’s expensive Goyard suitcase but later claimed he had donated it to charity.
Prosecutors said his explanation was an attempt to avoid taking responsibility for the theft.
Ward’s belongings were subsequently advertised online, with the model discovering photographs of individuals posing with her stolen bags.
She described finding the listings as another distressing experience because it made her believe the possessions were unlikely to be returned.
Defence Cited Difficult Background and Immigration Problems
During Aid’s sentencing, his defence lawyer, Abbey Robertson, argued that he had fallen in with the wrong people and made decisions that were out of character.
She described him as someone who was easily influenced and said he had been experiencing difficulties relating to his immigration status.
The court also heard that Aid spoke little English and had left Algeria because of concerns for his safety.
His defence said his brother had been murdered in his home country and that he had struggled to cope with the loss.
Robertson added that Aid had expressed remorse for his offences and came from a difficult background.
Ward Previously Said Family Had No Interest in Returning to Britain
Before Aid’s release, Ward had spoken about how the theft affected her willingness to visit the UK.
She said she and Button had previously enjoyed spending time in London, particularly when they first began dating, but that her experience had changed her perception of the city.
The model described the country as feeling increasingly unsafe following the incident.
She also explained that avoiding Britain would be difficult because Button’s mother and other relatives lived there.
The couple would therefore still need to return for family and work commitments, despite their reluctance.
The theft also came shortly after the California wildfires in early 2025 threatened their home and affected numerous other residents.
Police Crackdown Targets Organised Luggage Theft Gangs
Aid’s release comes amid a wider police crackdown on organised groups accused of targeting wealthy travellers around King’s Cross and St Pancras railway stations.
Among the reported victims of the theft operations were members of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, who lost jewellery valued at approximately £600,000 to a gang of Algerian migrants.
Police have been intensifying efforts to tackle luggage thefts around the transport hubs following a series of incidents involving passengers arriving in London.
Home Office Says Foreign Criminals Face Deportation
Responding to questions about Aid’s case, a Home Office spokesperson said foreign nationals sentenced to prison in Britain were referred for deportation as early as possible.
“Any foreign national who receives a prison sentence in the UK is referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity and will be barred from ever returning,” the spokesperson said.
The department also said returns were at their highest level in nearly a decade.
According to the Home Office, almost 12,000 foreign criminals, including murderers and rapists, had been returned or deported in the two years following the last general election.
It described the figure as a 41 per cent increase compared with the preceding two-year period.
