A MAN stole more than £803,000 of jewels from millionaires including celebrity Petra Ecclestone, the daughter of billionaire F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone,  while posing as a wealthy housebuyer.

William Flynn, 36, targeted homes across Southend and London, taking diamonds, jewellery and designer watches in what a judge described as “skillful and well planned” operation.

He was sentenced to eight years in jail when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court this afternoon.

Echo: A man posing as 'Oleg from Kazakhstan' allegedly stole jewellery worth 500,000 pounds from Petra Ecclestone's mansion during a viewing

Petra Ecclestone

In August, the 24-year-old F1 heiress  put her home in London's Belgravia on the market for £23million - but was stunned to discover the disappearance of diamond earrings and a diamond Rolex watch following a viewing.

Flynn told the vendor he was  a Kazakh-millionaire.

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Bernie Ecclestone