It is not clear if anything was taken in the raid on Eriksson's house

Thieves were thought to have jumped over a perimeter wall at the house in Regents Park, north London, before breaking in through a window.

Police sources said it was not clear whether anything had been stolen in the raid on Sunday, but confirmed the target was the home of 54-year-old Swede Eriksson.

It is believed that Eriksson and his partner Nancy Dell'Olio, who share the four-storey house, are away in Sweden or at Eriksson's villa in Portugal.

Eriksson and his girlfriend are thought to have been on holiday

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said police had been called to the address by a burglar alarm going off in the early hours of he morning.

"The key holder was eventually traced and it was established that there had been a break-in through rear windows.

"The break-in will be investigated by Camden Burglary Squad."

The Daily Mirror newspaper reported that Eriksson and Ms Dell'Olio had been told of the incident at their home.

The newspaper said glaziers spent much of Sunday at the house repairing damaged windows.