Raheem Sterling forced to confront gang to protect family at home after burglary

Chelsea's Raheem Sterling confronted a gang of masked burglars who broke into his home whilst his family were inside on Saturday evening.

The 30-year-old, who is part of Enzo Maresca's bomb-squad, heard the intruders enter upstairs whilst he was preparing to watch Chelsea's fixture against Wolves that evening.

It is reported that approximately five individuals forced entry into his Berkshire residence on the upper floor.

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Reacting instinctively, Sterling ensured his partner Paige Milian and their sons Thiago, eight, and Thai Cruz, six, were safe, before heading upstairs to challenge the gang. He successfully confronted them within the property and they fled empty-handed.

"He grabbed a knife out of a block in the kitchen and went to confront the intruders," a source told the Mirror. "It was acting on pure adrenaline but it worked.

"There was a group of them upstairs in masks and they were obviously looking around for any valuables yet again. But this time they made off when they realised that Raheem was at home and he confronted them."

The break-in occurred between 6.30pm and 7pm, approximately an hour before Chelsea's 8pm kick-off on Saturday.

Police believe the criminals assumed Sterling would be at Stamford Bridge for the match.

This marks the third occasion in merely seven years that Sterling has been targeted, following previous incidents at properties in Surrey and Cheshire.

His spokesperson confirmed: "We can confirm that Raheem Sterling was the victim of a home break-in this weekend. We can also confirm that he and his children were present at home at the time.

"Whilst the ultimate violation of privacy and safety, we are thankful to be able to confirm that he and his loved ones are all safe. We ask that the privacy of Raheem and his loved ones be respected at this challenging time."

Thames Valley Police issued a statement saying: "Officers are conducting a thorough investigation and ask anyone with information, or if they saw anyone in the area acting suspiciously, to contact police. '.

Chelsea are aware of what has happened and are providing support to the player, who returned from a loan spell with Arsenal back in the summer.

Sterling departed England's World Cup camp during the 2022 tournament in Qatar following a raid on his Cobham residence whilst his family were present. Jewellery and watches valued at approximately £300,000 were taken from Sterling's home on that occasion.

Emiliano Krosi, 24, was convicted of 33 counts of conspiracy to commit burglary last year. Investigators calculated that items worth around £1,139,000 were taken across a timeframe from October 2022 to March 2023.

Surrey Police revealed Krosi had a highly specific checklist for properties he wanted to target. The burglary occurred in Oxshott, Leatherhead, and was reported to police on 3 December 2022.

Sterling was reportedly "shaken" and "concerned for the wellbeing of his children". He travelled home from the World Cup before returning to Qatar.

The family were not present at the property during that incident.

Sterling's former residence in Goostrey, Cheshire, was also a target for burglars back in 2018. However, they scarpered when the alarm system was triggered.