Fears Jack Grealish could have been targeted by gang of seven criminals with ‘forced entry bailiff experience’ in £1m Boxing Day raid on his Cheshire mansion while Man City …
- Local claims a gang of experienced enforcers could be behind the break-in
- Grealish released a statement expressing his devastation at the raid last week
- Police to take statements from moving workers as they explore multiple leads
Published: 07:25, 3 January 2024 | Updated: 07:26, 3 January 2024
Jack Grealish[2]‘s GBP5.6million Cheshire mansion may have been targeted by a gang of seven locally based criminals that boasts experience of forced entry bailiffs among its crew, it has been claimed.
The England and Manchester City star had up to GBP1m in jewels and watches stolen in a Boxing Day raid that took place as his family watched him play against Everton in an away match on TV.
Police are currently investigating who could be responsible for the incident – which the 28-year-old said in a statement released on New Year’s Eve had left him ‘devastated’. But sources say he isn’t giving up his dream home[3].
As we have previously revealed[4], a South American gang thought to be targeting high value targets has been linked to the raid.
But another crime[5] victim in the posh area where Grealish lives has revealed that police previously told him a gang of local criminals could also be behind the burglaries.
Jack Grealish with fiancee Sasha Attwood, who was at home when burglars struck on Boxing Day while the Manchester City star was playing away at Everton
Grealish returned to football a few days after the raid, playing at home against Sheffield United
He issued a statement on New Year’s Eve revealing how ‘devastated’ he was by the Boxing Day incident, which he described as ‘traumatic’
Writing in the Knutsford Guardian[6] the resident, called Simon C, said: ‘I don’t know about an alleged South American tourism gang that some other media has been reporting.
‘But our property and three others were targeted by aggressive burglar raids in north Wirral within 2-3 miles of each other in one evening at the start of Covid lockdown.
‘I was told by Merseyside Police that a professional gang from Cheshire involving seven members might be behind this, also with forced entry bailiff experience.’
The claim comes after we revealed Grealish’s fiancee had been left ‘terrified’ by the Boxing Day raid[7] – and no longer feels safe on her own in the property.
Sasha Attwood was with Grealish’s family on December 26 when burglars struck, stealing up to GBP1m in jewels and watches.
Grealish released a statement five days later, thanking fans and his club for the support they had shown in the aftermath.
He wrote: ‘My family mean the world to me and nothing is more important than ensuring their safety. This has been a traumatic experience for all of us, I am just so grateful that nobody was hurt.
‘I have had so many amazing experiences and achievements over the last 12 months, but to be honest the best year of my life in football now doesn’t feel like something I can celebrate.
‘The people that commit these terrible crimes have no idea of the damage they cause to peoples lives.
I hope they are found and brought to justice so no other family has to go through what we have.
‘I appreciate the messages from everyone and the support from my friends, teammates and the club.’
As police continue to investigate the raid, the full impact of what happened is beginning to sink in for model and influencer Sasha, 28.
Our source said: ‘Sasha in pieces over this. Sasha has had to deal with death threats and online abuse over and over again during the time she’s been with Jack. But this feels very different.
‘For people to come into her new home in this way has left her terrified.
She’s not been on her own since it happened and right now doesn’t want to be.
‘Jack is particularly angry about the impact this has had on Sasha. They’ve been together nearly half of his life and he loves her to bits.
‘He will now do anything to protect her. They’ve got their dream home but it means nothing if she’s not happy and Jack wants her to feel as safe in it as possible.’
Sharing a picture of himself looking relaxed with his dog on Sunday, the footballer, 28, revealed his devastation over the ‘traumatic’ incident which left his loved ones terrified
Footballer Jack’s fiancee Sasha, 28, was with his family at their Cheshire home at hit panic buttons inside the house when the burglars struck
Jack was playing in Manchester City’s 3-1 away win against Everton during the time of the break-in
Details of the anguish Sasha is feeling comes as police continue to investigate the Boxing Day incident.
Officers are under big pressure to find who is responsible, because hardly any cases involving Premier League players end up being solved.
‘Cops want to find who did this,’ a source told MailOnline.
‘Again and again burglars who target players just then seem to vanish off the face of the earth with the items stolen never to be seen again.
‘Detectives have told Jack and his management that they are determined this case will be different, and that they will do all they can to catch the gang behind it.’
Police are continuing to assess all possible leads to identify those responsible – including claims that those behind the raid may have already fled the country.
Detectives are also probing whether the burglars tracked removal vans[8] coming and going from the house – and whether they may have had inside help[9].
A source said: ‘Those removal workers could hold vital clues.
There’s no suggestion they were involved in this.
‘But police want to ask them about anything suspicious or strange they might have seen.
They will be asked for a statement as part of the investigation in the coming days.’
Grealish’s home, which he moved into just days before the thieves struck, is based in an area called the ‘Golden Triangle’, repeatedly earmarked in the last three years by professional gangs from Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Peru.
Experts say that if a foreign gang is responsible they are likely to have flown into Britain especially for the raid and may have also returned to South America already.
Up to 500 burglars from those South American countries travel to the UK every year to target homes in Cheshire, the Home Counties, London and Surrey.
Grealish, 28, was playing in City’s 3-1 away win against Everton during the time of the break-in.
It is thought 10 relatives – including Sasha – were watching the match before being alerted by barking dogs and noises.
Former Met detective Peter Bleksley said: ‘This looks and sounds like a gang from South America who have come here to burgle.
The area is exactly where they operate for a start.’
References
- ^ Neil Doyle (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Jack Grealish (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ isn’t giving up his dream home (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ previously revealed (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ crime (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Knutsford Guardian (www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk)
- ^ left ‘terrified’ by the Boxing Day raid (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ tracked removal vans (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ may have had inside help (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Crime (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Jack Grealish (www.dailymail.co.uk)