SEAN PENN - SEAN PENN.S CAR . AND GUNS . STOLEN

Actor SEAN PENN's car - with two guns inside - was stolen earlier this week (ends11APR03) from a busy Berkeley, California, street while he was eating lunch at a nearby restaurant.

The black 1987 BUICK GRAND NATIONAL had a loaded 9 millimetre GLOCK handgun and an unloaded .38-calibre SMITH AND WESSON revolver inside, say detectives.

Police Officer MARY KUSMISS says Penn had a concealed weapons permit to carry the guns.

The car - stolen from outside a bank on Tuesday afternoon (08APR03) as Penn dined at VENUS restaurant with an assistant - has yet to be recovered.

Kusmiss says, "It's unusual to have a car stolen in broad daylight. It was a beautiful day and there was a lot of pedestrian traffic. It's just a bustling area there."

Penn, 42, lives in nearby Marin County with his wife, actress ROBIN WRIGHT PENN, and their two children.