Chelsea have reportedly called in the police after £30,000 worth of camera equipment went missing from their Cobham training base. Blues staff have been left mystified after the gear disappeared without a trace.
Surrey Police were reportedly called to the Premier League club’s headquarters after staff realised that the equipment was nowhere to be seen. The cameras are used to record extensive footage of training and matches to help players analyse their tactical, physical and mental performance. It is unclear whether a crime has been committed at this stage.
According to The Sun, the equipment may have just been mislaid but the incident is suspicious enough for Chelsea to have contacted the police. All will become clear when the Blues have a full complement of staff at Cobham, with some having been granted an extended summer following the Club World Cup.
If a crime has been committed, it would not be the first time Chelsea have been affected by a similar situation. Several Blues stars have been impacted by break-ins close to Cobham over the past few years.
During the 2022 World Cup, Raheem Sterling’s home was broken into by a group of burglars who made away with £300,000 worth of designer watches. Emiliano Krosi was later jailed for more than 11 years for his part in the case and 32 other burglaries across the South East.
Sterling had flown home from Qatar to be with his family in the wake of the raid. A year earlier, Reece James’ house was broken into by thieves who stole the defender’s Champions League and Euro 2020 runners-up medals.
The Chelsea captain slammed the “cowardly thieves” who had made a dash for his home while he was playing in the Champions League.
At least two other unnamed Chelsea players were reportedly the victims of similar incidents around the same time. Several other Premier League players also had their homes robbed, raising concerns over the safety of stars and their families.
Chelsea have returned to pre-season training following their triumph at the Club World Cup. Enzo Maresca’s side face Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow before hosting AC Milan on Sunday. They begin their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace on August 17.
