The 'saints', the downfall of footballers in the robberies of their homes: "Many times, thieves know where to look"
“Saint” refers to a person “perfect and free from all guilt” or of “special virtue or example”. However, for the Robbery Section of the National Police it is practically the opposite of what the Spanish Language Dictionary defines.. “A saint is a facilitator. “He is the individual who provides information to criminals when perpetrating a robbery,” the head of this section of the Specialized and Violent Crime Unit (UDEV) of the General Police Station explains to ELMUNDO.
These saints, in the case of footballers, are people around them “who do not have to be very close”, who know not only the habits of the player and his family, but also the entrances and security systems of the house in question. the ones they reside. And, many times, the exact location of the personal property that is of interest to the criminals who carry out the assault on the home.
“There are quite a few robberies in luxury residences where thieves know exactly where they have to look and what tools they have to use,” the Robbery Section reveals.. This not only limits the time of the crime and makes it easier for the criminals to escape but, sometimes, it causes the victims' complaints to be delayed by the time it takes them to realize what has happened to them “due to very clean access.” or the resident taking a long time to return home.
Athletes, and especially soccer players, are a very attractive group for criminals because they accumulate numerous valuable objects and also cash in their homes.. Furthermore, “residences are always located in exclusive places where it is assumed that there are things of value,” says the head of the Robbery section.
The Italian footballer, Marco Verratti, today at the Saudi club Al-Arabi decided, together with his wife, to rent Ronaldo Nazario's mansion in Ibiza in the summer of 2022. A gang of criminals attacked the house without any signs of force. The criminals took a loot of more than 3 million euros. Among the movable property were several jewels and watches, one of which had a value of 400,000 euros, and 12,000 euros in cash.. The National Police managed to arrest several of the criminals and recover part of the stolen loot.
For example, the former footballer and current president of Real Valladolid, Ronaldo Nazario, has a house in one of the best areas of the island of Ibiza, Cala Jondal, a place where numerous recreational yachts of people with great purchasing power anchor.. This was the property in which the footballer Marco Verratti, then with Paris Saint Germain, suffered a robbery in the summer of 2022 in which numerous valuable objects and cash were stolen.
Another window that these organized groups also use are social networks.. Many times they take advantage of the photos that the footballers themselves post in these virtual public spaces to obtain information or the house they are going to raid or the objects they are interested in stealing.. “They don't even need such an in-depth examination if they are very active on social networks, collecting that information already helps them,” they comment from Robos.
Verratti in training with PSG. . POUJOULAT AFP
However, despite the juicy loot they can obtain, the great security measures that footballers have in their homes represent a great obstacle for criminals.. That is why the figure of the saint is so important for the assailants when it comes to facilitating their work.
In Spain, around 85,000 home burglaries occur annually, although in 2019 this type of crime amounted to more than 98,000, according to the Crime Balance of the Ministry of the Interior.. So far in 2023, home invasions have dropped 1.6 points compared to the same period in 2022.
He is one of the last footballers who has suffered a robbery in his home. It was on September 20 at his farm in Bollullos de la Mitación (Seville). The player was playing a Champions League match at the Pizjuán against Lens and Pilar Rubio, his wife, was recording in the Canary Islands. The criminals took more than 350,000 euros in jewelry, watches, clothing and other luxury items. In 2012, they also tried to rob the footballer's home in the Madrid neighborhood of Conde Orgaz, but his presence and that of his brother thwarted the robbery.
Normally, criminals choose times when the house has the fewest occupants possible, but, as happened recently in the home of Sevilla footballer Sergio Ramos and presenter Pilar Rubio, where their children and two caregivers were present, “There are groups that get into the property and don't care,” explains the head of the section.
However, Ramos and his brother and agent, René, have already thwarted another previous robbery attempt that some thieves attempted in the player's house when he lived in Madrid, so “the most profitable thing is that there are no residents because it makes the commission easier.” apostille from the National Police. Something that, at least in the case of footballers, is not difficult to know since their match schedule is public and notorious.
Another who suffered a robbery with him at home was Aubameyang when he was a member of Barcelona.. The player was beaten at his home in Castelldefels to make him reveal the code to his safe. However, it is rarer that criminals resort to violence when perpetrating these crimes.
The French footballer's house has been robbed twice. The first in February 2019 when he played a Copa del Rey Classic against Barcelona at the Bernabéu. The second, most recent, was in January 2022 and he also played a home game against Elche. The thieves' loot consisted of jewelry, watches, bracelets and diamonds.. One of the criminals in the second robbery was arrested while fleeing by car towards France.
Falcao, Benzema, Zidane, Isco, Morata, Rodrygo, Joaquín, William Carvalho, Castillejo, Piqué…. The list of footballers who have had their homes robbed is endless.. 2019 was a terrible year to such an extent that, after a wave of crimes in the homes of several members of the Real Madrid squad, Lucas Vázquez's wife even posted on social media: “One after another. When will you be able to live peacefully in your own home? When can I go to work in peace?”
Although it is difficult to prove it, the Robbery Section of the National Police is in a position to ensure that the vast majority were crimes committed thanks to information from a saint. Never has a religious mention had such a negative connotation for a union of athletes.