England World Cup stars bring in guard dogs after Sterling burglary

England World Cup players have reportedly stepped up security at their homes in response to Raheem Sterling’s house being burgled, with thousands of pounds being spent on repellents such as guard dogs and emergency panic rooms. Sterling pulled out of England’s matchday squad for the last-16 tie against Senegal on Sunday after learning of his family home being burgled.

The Chelsea winger wanted to return home to ensure his family were okay after the incident. Surrey Police have since confirmed “a number of items including jewellery and watches had been stolen”.

It’s also said that “no threat of violence was involved” as they continue to investigate the burglary. But the worrying incident has led to fears among other England players that their homes may also be targeted while they are aware.

According to The Telegraph, a number of players have now put their security staff on ’24-hour alert’ in reaction to Sterling’s home being burgled.

It’s claimed that high-profile footballers in the country are forking out around £100,000 a year on security at their homes. Personal bodyguards are said to be hired by many footballers for their family members who stay at home during major tournaments.

And some have even invested in specialised guard dogs, which can cost ‘as much as £40,000’. The report notes that Sterling is the latest football star targeted by organised gangs with some of his international team-mates also having their homes burgled recently.

Some players are said to be so concerned by the recent events that ‘panic rooms’ have been installed in their homes. The rooms are said to have a ‘special panic button’ which raises every alarm in the house.

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The number of burglaries for high-profile footballers has reportedly led to some even moving out of their huge houses and into more ‘populated luxury apartment blocks’ to offer a greater level of safety. Sterling’s Chelsea team-mate Reece James had his home broken into where he had both his Champions League and Euro 2020 medals stolen.

Police confirmed earlier this year that a 31-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of committing the burglary. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also suffered a harrowing ordeal before his move to Chelsea after he was attacked with an iron bar during a raid on his family home in Barcelona.

It’s not yet clear whether Sterling will return to Qatar in time for England’s World Cup quarter final against France on Saturday. But Southgate is more than happy for the winger to take all the time he needs before making a decision.

The England boss said: “I really don’t know, it’s a situation he needs time to deal with, I don’t want to put any pressure on him.”