Brave Raheem Sterling confronted masked burglary gang 'to protect his family' - The Mirror

Raheem Sterling armed himself with a knife when burglars broke in while his partner and children still at home as he waited to watch the Chelsea vs Wolves game on Saturday night

Have-a-go-hero Raheem Sterling was forced to confront burglars armed with a knife when they broke in with his family still at home. The 30-year-old former England star heard the masked gang get in upstairs while he was waiting to watch the Chelsea v Wolves game on Saturday night. It is believed around five intruders broke into his Berkshire property upstairs.

Acting on pure instinct, Sterling made sure his partner Paige Milian and children Thiago, eight, and Thai Cruz, who is six, were safe before going upstairs to confront the gang. He was able to confront them in the property and they made off without taking anything.

"He grabbed a knife out of a block in the kitchen and went to confront the intruders," said a source. "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 burglars got in around 6.30-7pm, an hour before Chelsea's 8pm kick off on Saturday.

Police believe that they thought Sterling would have been at Stamford Bridge for the game.

It is the third time in just seven years that Sterling has been targeted, after incidents at properties in Surrey and Cheshire.

His spokesperson said: "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."

In a statement, Thames Valley police said: '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 the incident and offering their support to the player.

Sterling left England's World Cup camp during the 2022 tournament in Qatar after his home in Cobham was raided while his family were inside. An estimated £300,000 worth of jewellery and watches were stolen from Sterling's property on that occasion.

Emiliano Krosi, 24, was found guilty of 33 counts of conspiracy to commit burglary last year. Investigators estimated that around £1,139,000 worth of items were stolen across a period spanning October 2022 to March 2023. Surrey Police said Krosi had a very specific checklist for homes he wished to target. The break-in happened in Oxshott, Leatherhead, and was reported to police on 3 December 2022.

Sterling was said to be "shaken" and "concerned for the wellbeing of his children". He returned home from the World Cup before going back out to Qatar. The family were not at the property at the time of that incident.

Sterling's previous home in Goostrey, Cheshire, was also targeted by thieves in 2018. But they fled when the alarm system was activated.