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England players have reportedly been advised by police on how to protect their homes (Image: GETTY)
England players have received special briefings from police amid fears their homes could be burgled during Euro 2024, according to reports. Gareth Southgate and his squad are expected to travel to Germany on Monday ahead of their first group stage match against Serbia.
Criminal gangs have been known to raid the homes of footballers when they are away, raising fears that similar incidents could occur during the Euros. According to The Telegraph, concerned England players have already been informed of ways to protect themselves and their loved ones.
It is said that a special presentation was arranged by the FA in which police officers spoke to players and gave them specific checklists. The governing body never discloses security arrangements but extensive measures are said to be in place to counter the growing trend of footballers being targeted by criminals.
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Security was identified as a major priority for players after Raheem Sterling left the England camp during the last World Cup following a raid on his Surrey mansion. The incident reportedly prompted some of his team-mates to employ round-the-clock security at their own homes.
Christian Hill, group managing director at Intelligent Protection, said: "I would say the risk [to players] is extremely high. When it’s England, you know well in advance when fixtures are. Criminals have got time to plan because they know exactly the dates when the players are going to be away and that’s set in stone a year before it happens.
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"These raids are not punts. They have the time to plan, do reconnaissance and try to look at the family’s routine, when they’re in, when they’re out, when the kids go to school, when the wife goes to work. Big tournaments are extremely high risk. Anything that is high profile and in the public eye makes for quite easy plans."
Organised crime groups often target wealthy individuals, including footballers, with the aim of burgling their properties when they are not at home. A report from the Daily Mail in December revealed that groups often arrive from overseas and scour the internet for addresses before carrying out raids.
Some players are thought to have already installed panic rooms in a bid to protect their families in the event of their homes being raided. Virtual perimeters, known as geofencing, are also said to be commonplace with CCTV cameras and motion sensors among the security features to be widely used.
