X Factor boss Simon Cowell1 has given a 1,000 Christmas bonus to the hero security guard who wrestled 500,000 of his gems from a crook who raided his mansion.
Cowell, 56, gave M Bathonha Mendes the gift after asking to meet him to say ‘thank you’ in person, the Sunday People2 can reveal.
The 34-year-old guard, who works for a private security firm in the same street, followed the raider3 and grabbed a rucksack containing Cowell s jewellery.
He recalled: He jumped and then dropped the bag and ran .
Fear is my friend.
Cowell s bodyguard was oblivious to the break in because he d been in the toilet4 when the raider struck at the music mogul s 25million home in the Holland Park area of West London.
Read more: Hero security guard tackled Simon Cowell burglar and wrestled back 500k of gems5
Shocked Cowell, who was at home with partner Lauren, 38, and 21-month-old son Eric at the time, said the raid had been terrifying for his family.
Xposure 
Burglary: Simon Cowell’s home
It s not what they steal .
It s the fact they re in your house, he said after the raid on December 4.
Lauren and Eric flew out of the UK the day after the burglary.
Days later it emerged X Factor judge Rita Ora s home6 had also been targeted.
A man, 37, has been quizzed over the raid7 at Cowell s home and released on bail until early January.
References
- ^ Simon Cowell (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Sunday People (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ followed the raider (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ in the toilet (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Hero security guard tackled Simon Cowell burglar and wrestled back 500k of gems (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Rita Ora s home (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ has been quizzed over the raid (www.mirror.co.uk)
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