Raheem Sterling will not be returning to the World Cup camp in England until his family is safe, and has told friends he needs to be “100 per cent sure” before flying back to Qatar.
The star has been left ‘shocked’ after the burglary at his £6million mansion, with neighbors today claiming it was an ‘inside job’ by contractors – as England teammate Harry Maguire expressed solidarity.
Thieves broke into the £6million father-of-three’s gated home before making off with a stash of watches and jewelry – which prompted the shocked star to race home Qatar to be with his family.
Police were contacted around 9pm on Saturday 3 December after Sterling’s partner Paige returned to find that ‘a number of items including jewelery and watches’ had been stolen.
It is believed that a number of Sterling’s England teammates are now reviewing their own safety in light of the terrifying incident.
The 27-year-old footballer hopes to return to Qatar on Saturday for England’s quarter-final against France, but will only do so if he feels his family is safe in their home in Surrey.
Paige, Raheem Sterling’s partner, and their three children were not in their home at the time of the raid, police said today
Harry Maguire (pictured) has expressed solidarity with his compatriot Raheem Sterling following a burglary at the player’s estate in Surrey
Thieves broke into the £6 million gated home of the father of three in Surrey on Saturday night
Raheem has told everyone, “I’m not going anywhere unless I’m 100 percent sure my family can be kept safe.” He is security conscious and part of the reason they entered the property was that it is on a very exclusive estate, with regular security patrols,” a source told me. The sun.
Despite this, he still managed to get targeted, which is very upsetting for Raheem and Paige. They have just moved back to London and want to feel safe.’
It comes as a neighbor told MailOnline today that they were convinced it was an “inside job” when she revealed how a series of construction workers and moving vans had been at the house.
She said: ‘I came back from an overnight flight on Saturday night just after 9pm and the police were outside. The estate WhatsApp group lit up and we all knew very quickly that it was a break-in and luckily no one was hurt.
“I’ve only seen him walk his dogs once, but I’ve seen the family and they’re very young. I really feel sorry for them as they have only just moved in.
“It’s a pittance a month for security and all the people on the chat know that Raheem’s family is not reported to security.
“They had dozens of moving trucks, construction workers and electricians coming in and out a few weeks ago and they all knew the access codes.
“I’m sure it’s an inside job and the codes were passed because people would have talked. How would anyone else know he was there?’
Meanwhile, England defender Maguire expressed frustration at the incident.
He said: ‘We give everything here and at home people attack us.
“It’s really disappointing to hear that Raheem had to go home to get things done. We didn’t have time to talk to him because our focus was completely on the game.
“The match could have gone differently because we lost Raheem. It’s disappointing to lose him because of something out of our hands. We are all here for him.
“It is extremely disappointing to hear that we are here and give absolutely everything to our country and then there are people at home attacking us.”
A source close to the team said captain Harry Kane is trying to keep the team’s morale up after the break-in.
“Harry knows the players’ families are very shaken by what has happened and that is a concern for the players themselves,” they told The Sun.
Investigators are now working to determine when a break-in at the home of English striker Raheem Sterling took place and say no witnesses have come forward at this stage to say any armed suspects or threats of violence were involved.
The 27-year-old Chelsea star was allowed to return to the UK from England’s World Cup camp in Qatar after learning about the break-in.
Private security patrols the estate in Surrey (picture taken this morning)
Sources close to Sterling had indicated on Sunday that armed intruders broke into Sterling’s home while his family were inside, but an updated statement from Surrey Police this afternoon said the home’s occupants were not present during the break-in and there was no evidence . on this point of armed intruders or threats of violence.
“We are currently investigating a report of a break-in at an address in Oxshott, Leatherhead,” the statement said.
‘On Saturday, December 3, the residents returned to the address after returning home from an international trip.
“They contacted the police just before 9pm to report that some jewelry, including watches, had been stolen. Officers went to the address later that evening and returned this morning to talk to residents.
“At the moment it is still unclear on what date the property was stolen and establishing this is an important part of our investigation.
“Investigations into the full circumstances remain ongoing and officers will review all available evidence, including any CCTV capabilities.
“We are aware of media reports saying armed suspects were involved, but at this point we want to reassure our communities that no witnesses have come forward and there are no reports of threats of violence related to with this incident. Anyone with information should contact the police directly if they have not already been spoken to.
“No arrests have been made at this time.”
News of the break-in led to Sterling being unavailable for Sunday night’s 3-0 win over Senegal that took England to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Sterling has three children: his daughter and eldest, Melody Rose, as well as two sons, Thiago and Thai
It is not yet clear if the 27-year-old will return for Saturday’s game against France, with England manager Gareth Southgate admitting he and everyone else would have to ‘wait and see’ regarding Sterling’s availability.
Southgate was asked about Sterling during the press conference following Sunday’s victory over Senegal.
“Raheem, as the FA statement says, is dealing with a family situation, so he’s going back to England,” he said.
“We need to give him time to sort that out or be there for his family. That’s the most important thing right now, so we’re going to give him that space.
It didn’t affect team selection. I spent a lot of time with Raheem this morning, but you know you have days where things happen and you have to deal with them.
“He’s on his way home and yes, we’re clearly aware that he’s being given space and his privacy is respected, so we don’t want to go into too much detail.
“Of course it’s not ideal for the group before a big game, but it pales into insignificance – the individual is more important than the group at those times.
“So I had to monitor the situation and then I had to pass it on to others to deal with this afternoon to get him home.”
The Football Association provided extensive security guidance to players before they left for Qatar and has an experienced security team on hand to advise and provide support when required.
Sterling is one of dozens of top footballers who have been targeted by thieves.
Several Manchester United players have fallen victim, with Tahith Chong, Victor Lindelof and Jesse Lingard all breaking in early this year.
Security experts have warned that football players’ well-known schemes and obvious wealth increase the risk of their homes being attacked.
Sterling is one of dozens of top footballers who have been targeted by thieves
Last month, Stoke City defender Josh Tymon appealed for help after thugs stole ‘everything of value’ from his home in Knutsford, Cheshire, including watches, bags, shoes, jewelery and a Range Rover Sport SVR.
Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his fiancé Perrie Edwards were targeted in September, when a gang stormed into their £3.5 million Cheshire property while with their 13-year-old son.
In April, a 31-year-old man was arrested after Chelsea star Reece James stole a safe from his home in Surrey. James, 21, said the robbers struck in September and made off with his Champions League, Super Cup and Euro 2020 medals.
Sterling was last targeted in 2018 when he played for Manchester City and lived in Cheshire. But the gang was chased off when the alarm system was activated and left empty-handed.