Actor Asher Keddie, artist husband Vincent Fantauzzo’s frightening ordeal after waking to alleged intruder

A man who allegedly broke into the St Kilda home of Vincent Fantauzzo and his actor wife Asher Keddie “chose the wrong house”, a witness has said as details emerge about how the award-winning artist jumped into action.

Award-winning artist Vincent Fantauzzo tackled an alleged thief in what a witness described as a “brutal takedown”.

More details have emerged from Fantauzzo’s run-in with an alleged intruder at his St Kilda home on the morning of December 28.

His wife, acclaimed actor Asher Keddie, woke to see a man trying to steal a motorbike — one of Fantauzzo’s prized Ducati’s, from their property.

A shaken Keddie immediately alerted award-winning artist Fantauzzo, who raced out to challenge the man.

A passerby who witnessed the struggle outside the house helped Keddie’s husband overpower the alleged robber and restrain him until police arrived and arrested him.

“It went on for about four minutes until the cops got there, the guy had to be carried off the street because he was on the floor convulsing and then passed out,’’ the witness said.

“It was a brutal takedown and he was lucky he got medical attention because he might not have survived. This guy definitely chose the wrong house.”

Asher Keddie and artist husband Vincent Fantauzzo woke to an intruder. Picture: NewsWire

Confirming the incident, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said the alleged burglar “was disturbed by the occupants whilst allegedly in the process of wheeling the Ducati motorcycle into the street’’.

“It is understood a male occupant restrained the man, with assistance from a passerby, until police arrived,” she said.

“The four occupants of the property and the witness were not injured. The 44-year-old Altona man was arrested at the scene and transported to hospital under police guard.

“He was then charged with aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, trespass and unlawful assault and will face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later this month.”

Police will allege the man had already stolen the keys to the motorbike from inside the home after gaining entry through a back door.

He had come to the house clutching a helmet.

It’s believed the man spent nine days in hospital he was so banged up.

About six police vehicles arrived with forensics in a scene that would have been familiar to Keddie.

“It was like a film or a TV show,” the witness added.

Artist Vincent Fantauzzo, pictured with his wife Asher Keddie, bravely fought back when the intruder attacked him. Picture: Jane Dempster

Neither Keddie nor Fantauzzo wished to comment about the frightening ordeal.

On the same December morning on the Mornington Peninsula, luxury cars were stolen from seaside mansions, one of which was owned by billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox.

Fantauzzo, who has won the Archibald Prize People’s Choice Award more times than any other artist, is due to release his new book, titled Unveiled, in March.

It is being promoted as the incredible true story of how a street-fighting petty criminal, who was kicked out of school at fourteen, became one of Australia’s most celebrated and successful portrait artists with works hanging in galleries around the world.

He is a well-known aficionado of the Italian-made Ducatis.

In about 2017, Keddie bought her husband a rare 2006 Paul Smart 1000 LE Ducati. The special edition retro-styled bikes are now worth more than $40,000.

Fantauzzo also did promotional work to launch the Ducati Scrambler in 2021.

The artist shares his love of the classic Italian motorcycle with celebrity chef and good mate Matt Moran.

Vincent Fantauzzo and Matt Moran on motorbikes. Picture: Supplied

Fantauzzo and Keddie met in 2012 when he asked to paint her portrait.

They married in 2014 and share a son named Valentino, who was born the following year. Fantauzzo has a son, Luca, from a previous marriage.

Keddie is one of Australia’s best known actors, winning a Gold Logie for her iconic role in Offspring and the Most Popular Actress five times in a row between 2011 and 2015.

She also starred in Underbelly, Paper Giants and more recently Stateless, Nine Perfect Strangers, Fake and Strife.

Fantauzzo has recently been spotted holidaying in Bali with agent to the stars Matt Pillios.