13 December 2015
Newsdesk
Simon Cowell is suffering from "psychological damage" after his house was burgled.
The 56-year-old music mogul was asleep upstairs in his $56 million (£35 million) home in west London with girlfriend Lauren Silverman when the thief struck on 4 December (15) and reportedly made off with jewellery and cash.
While Simon knows he can replace the items that were taken, it's the thought that the burglar was just metres away from his 22-month-old son Eric that is causing him the most concern.
"One hundred per cent I’d like to meet the guy. If we found him I’d want to have a conversation with him," Simon said, according to the Daily Mirror.
“I don’t want to say too much right now because I am angry. As a dad you have to realise the psychological damage it does having someone you don’t know in your home 3ft away from your little boy.
“What would have happened if he had woken up? I don’t want to feel too much like a victim here because this happens to thousands of people every, bloody day.”
Since the burglary, Simon has increased security at the property. While he already owned three Yorkshire terriers, the record label boss admitted he has invested in some loud barkers to scare off any more potential thieves.
“I have three dogs and they didn’t make a sound," he said. "They’re usually always barking but they chose not to at that time.
“Now I have dogs that bark.”
Police said a 37-year-old man was arrested in connection with the burglary on Friday (11Dec15), and has been bailed until January (16).
Officers are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area, including one at the home of Simon's fellow The X Factor judge Rita Ora.
She was targeted on 28 November (15), just a week before Simon's property was burgled. Cash, jewellery and electrical items were stolen from Rita's home as one of her family members slept upstairs.
