Aussie Olympic BMX champion rocked by smash and grab

Australian BMX Olympic champion had his wallet and vital gear stolen on the eve of the Games.

Olympic champion Logan Martin has had his preparation for Paris rocked by a smash and grab with thieves raiding his team van.

On a quest to defend his gold medal from Tokyo, the BMX freestyle star had his wallet and vital gear stolen on Tuesday night in Belgium.

Thieves smashed the passenger seat window before raiding the van of Martin’s gear and also stealing a team physiotherpaist’s massage table.

Martin posted footage of the aftermath on Instagram, with use of bag tag tracking devices helping the Queenslander locate his bags which had been strewn across a local park.

“Our van got broken into last night. Luckily my bikes weren’t in there, although my bike bags were in there with some things in it,’’ Martin said. “What a crazy start to the trip.

“Thank god for bag tags.’’

Logan Martin won gold in Tokyo. PIcture: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

This latest Games security concern in Paris comes after two members of the production staff from the Channel Nine Olympic team have been attacked in Paris in “an assault of serious physical nature” on Tuesday, just days after the gang rape of a 25-year-old Australian woman in the French capital.

Channel Nine’s director of sport Brent Williams has informed staff in Paris that two team members had left the International Broadcast Centre and were walking to accommodation in the north east suburb of Le Bourget when they were attacked by a group of men.

In what appears to have been an attempted robbery, the crew suffered an assault “of a serious physical nature”, Mr Williams told staff, before confirming the two were able to get away and find a place of safety.

The matter has been reported to the police.

Nine have reminded their staff to remain vigilant, to remove their Olympic credentials when not required, especially when travelling.

Police are investigating the attack of two Nine staff in Paris. Picture: Getty Images

Broadcasters have been warned by security experts that despite the flood of military and police into the capital to protect the Games, it would not stop criminals from seeking targets of opportunity.

Also on Wednesday the Paris prosecutor’s office said it had appointed the 2nd judicial police district to investigate a charge of gang rape of a 25-year-old Australian woman on the night of July 19 to 20, 2024.

The Paris prosecutors said they were investigating the circumstances before and after the woman took refuge in a cafe in the 18th arrondissement, where she was taken care of by the firefighters.

The French minister for the interior Gérald Darmanin told The Australian that the matter was for the police, but that he was keeping a close eye on developments.

The Nine staff were attacked near the International Broadcast Centre in Le Bourget. Picture: AFP

Mr Darmanin has sent a handwritten letter to all of the police officers, gendarmes, firefighters, emergency service personnel and intelligence agents telling them that the Olympic task “will not be easy”.

Paris has faced several incidents in the past week, including a driver accused of targeting diners, killing one and injuring others sitting for dinner in an outside cafe, and a stabbing of a military officer guarding the Gare de L’Est.

Mr Darmanin wrote: “The eyes of the world will be fixed on you. Your task will not be easy’, urging them after four years of intense presentation to “present the most beautiful face of France”.

The French have flooded the city with 35,000 police and gendarmes - and increasing that to 45,000 for the opening ceremony - as well as deploying 18,000 soldiers with an Islamist terror attack most feared by organisers.

An entire battalion has been deployed to protect the boats carrying the athletes during Saturday morning’s opening ceremony.

Originally published as Aussie Olympic BMX champion rocked by smash and grab