Newcastle United’s forward Joelinton’s home was recently raided while the footballer was away at St. James’ Park, watching his team playing Manchester City from the sidelines.

According to reports, Joelinton received an alert on his phone that three men had invaded his house in Darras Hall, Northumberland. Joelinton immediately notified the Northumbria Police at around 7.30 p.m.

The police scrambled officers and a helicopter, however, when they arrived at the scene, the burglars had escaped. 

“Thankfully the homeowner was not home but had received a security alert on their phone and immediately reported concerns to police,” a Northumbria Police spokesperson said. “Officers were sent to the house, but anyone who had been inside had got away.”

Footballers increasingly being targeted

Burglary incidents targeting professional footballers are becoming increasingly common. Joelinton’s case came shortly after Manchester City star Jack Grealish addressed the public for the first time since his house in Cheshire was raided by thieves at the end of last year.

“I can’t begin to explain how devastated I am over the burglary that took place at my home a few days ago,” Grealish wrote in an Instagram post. 

The 28-year-old described the burglary incident as a “traumatic experience” and expressed his gratitude that no one in his family had been hurt in the incident.

On December 27, 2023, Grealish played an away match against Everton. During the incident, Grealish’s fiancee Sasha Attwood, his parents, and other family members were at home watching the match. 

The Cheshire Police received reports of a burglary at the footballer’s residence at 9.50 p.m. and attended the scene with police dogs and a helicopter. However, when they arrived, the criminals had already gone. According to reports, the raiders took jewellery worth an estimated £1 million from the house.

In the same month as the break-in in Grealish’s house, West Ham captain Kurt Zouma’s home in Essex was also targeted by burglars while he was inside. Reports said the robbers took £1million worth of jewellery and high-value watches.

Other players whose houses have been targeted by raiders include Joao Cancelo and Paul Pogba. Cancelo suffered a facial injury while confronting four robbers. At the time of the incident, Cancelo’s partner and their daughter were also at home.

Social media use increases vulnerability

Reports have suggested that many of these raiders come from abroad with a specific intent to rob Premier League stars. When they flee Britain, they sometimes wear the stolen goods through customs.

Carl Williams, a chief superintendent at Gwent Police, said these burglars likely browse footballers’ social media feeds to find out their personal information.

“In today’s world where many wealthy individuals are active on social media their significant public profile can help make them targets,” said Williams. “Their high-value possessions are often on display as well as information about their plans.”

City manager Pep Guardiola has urged players to cut back on their social media use as a precautionary measure. He has often reminded players about the importance of personal security amid the rising burglary cases targeting high-net-worth individuals, including football stars. 

High-profile individuals must ensure they have an effective security plan in place – a multilayered approach which has been specifically designed for their house, their family and their lifestyle. It must be stress tested and reviewed regularly. Too many people commission security infrastructure like CCTV, electric gates, and access control without intelligent thought about how it works in reality. A robust security plan requires careful consideration, and most importantly, must include security training for the family and staff.