ARMED raiders are seen casually strolling into the home of cycling champ Mark Cavendish moments before allegedly attacking him and stealing watches worth £700,000.
Grainy CCTV images were captured outside the Tour de France hero’s Essex countryside mansion in the early hours of November 27, 2021.
Hiding their faces with balaclavas and hoodies, the knife-wielding gang were filmed carrying out four drive-by “reconnaissance missions” before pulling up outside the property at 2.24am, jurors heard.
The court heard they then climbed over the front gate before brazenly swaggering up the driveway and smashing a patio door at the back.
Prosecutor Edward Renvoize said: “One CCTV camera is trained on the front gates. It shows the [burglars’] vehicles driving past in what appear to be reconnaissance missions shortly before the robbery takes place.
Two New York cops stabbed during celebrations in Times Square
“At 2.24am, one vehicle can be seen pulling up outside the gates and its lights go out. A second camera then shows four individuals making their way towards the property.”
Chelmsford Crown Court heard Cavendish, 37, was subjected to a terrifying assault in his own bedroom after the raiders broke into the house.
As he fumbled with a panic button, three members of the gang jumped on him and threatened to “stab him up” in front of his children.
His wife Peta, 36, was also threatened at knifepoint as she desperately tried to hide their three-year-old son under a duvet.
Later, Cavendish was ordered at knifepoint to open the property’s front gates.
Security camera images show the raiders’ two cars - a Mercedes E220 and a Mitsubishi Outlander with stolen number plates - backing into the driveway.
The rest of the gang then piled into the cars before speeding off, it was said.
Pc Adem Harman, who was scrambled to the scene of the raid, told the court today how the cyclist appeared "very distressed" when he opened the door.
Jurors heard police were able to trace the movements of the Mercedes because it had a built-in SIM card for accessing the internet.
The court was shown the CCTV images during the trial of Romario Henry, 31, and Oludewa Okorosobo, 28, who both deny burglary.
At least nine killed after New Year's Day stampede at shopping centre
Separate CCTV images show two other suspects who are currently wanted by the police in relation to the raid.
Jo Jobson was snapped at a convenience store topping up a pay-as-you-go mobile six days before the robbery.
George Goddard was captured buying a top-up at a petrol station three days later.
Police have established that both phones were present at the scene of the robbery. Jobson and Goddard remain at large.
Another man, Ali Sesay, 28, has admitted his part in the raid after his DNA was found at the scene on Peta's phone.
The trial continues.
