A gang of masked raiders have reportedly committed a burglary at the hotel where Argentine star Lionel Messi is staying with his family in Paris, the Mirror reports.
Thousands of pounds of cash and jewellery are said to have been stolen from four rooms in Le Royal Monceau in Paris.
The thieves are thought to have gained unlawful entry to the property by scaling down the sides of the building from the roof.
Footage captured two masked men on CCTV making their way in via an unlocked balcony door on the sixth floor – just one level above where Messi is staying.
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Messi only moved into the five-star hotel in August, with his suite costing a whopping £17,000 per night.
Security has even been beefed up since his arrival but to no avail as some guests lost prized assets left in their rooms as the raiders took full advantage in their haul, which took place on Wednesday last week.
One female guest had a £3,000 necklace stolen in the robbery, along with a pair of earrings worth £500 and around £2000 in cash swiped.
The financial adviser branded the experience “disturbing”, while she also claimed the hotel only began to take her accusations seriously when police started investigating the matter.
“To pay a fortune for somewhere fancy and secure and have someone walk in your room is very disturbing,” she told The Sun. “The police told us they saw two men with a bag on the roof on CCTV cameras but they could not identify them.
“They said three other robberies were also reported. A Moroccan guy in the next room told me he had his watch stolen.”
The incident is likely to unsettle Messi, whose family were content with life in Barcelona before he was forced to seek a new club due to issues over his contract.
He is currently residing at the hotel – located not far from the Arc de Triomphe – with wife Antonela and their three children, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.
A police source told The Sun: “There has clearly been a very serious security breach and it’s being investigated. There is evidence to suggest an experienced gang was responsible.”
Messi and his family are set to move out of the hotel in the not-too-distant future after he reportedly found a home to rent in the city.
The property is expected to set him back €20,000 per month and is based in the exclusive area of Neuilly-Sur-Seine.
His move will see him live close to fellow Argentinian team-mates Angel Di Maria and Leandro Parades (reports Marca ).
