England’s Euro 2024 players have received special briefings from police and security chiefs amid fears of copycat burglaries akin to the World Cup raid on Raheem Sterling’s home in 2022.
According to the Telegraph, the Football Association arranged a presentation in which officers gave concerned players a specific checklist on how to protect themselves and their loved ones as they fly out to Germany.
Personal security had been identified as a major priority for the players after Sterling flew home from Doha in 2022 with his family in terror following a raid on his £7 million Surrey mansion.
The FA never discloses security arrangements but extensive measures are known to be in place to counter the growing trend of gangs targeting wealthy footballers.
Several worried England players took matters into their own hands during their last extended spell away, putting security guards on 24-hour alert as Sterling flew home.
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Security specialists say international tournaments, especially those in Europe where large groups of family members also fly out, are “particularly high risk” for players.
Over the past season, organised criminals have continued to target Premier League players’ high-value properties even when they are in the UK.
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the most recent victim, with his Northumberland home raided in April. Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool players have also been targeted in recent years.
Christian Hill, group managing director at Intelligent Protection which regularly provides close protection and home security for a host of undisclosed high net worth Britons and VIPs, welcomed an apparently improved security plan from the FA.
“I would say the risk [to players] is extremely high – when it’s England, you know well in advance when fixtures are,” said Hill.
“Criminals have got time to plan because they know exactly the dates when the players are going to be away, and that’s set in stone a year before it happens. These raids are not punts. They have the time to plan, do reconnaissance and try to look at the family’s routine – when they’re in, when they’re out, when the kids go to school, when the wife goes to work. Big tournaments are extremely high risk. Anything that is high profile and in the public eye makes for quite easy plans.”
