FORMER Premier League star Kevin-Prince Boateng has become the latest Barcelona footballer to be targeted by burglars.
Criminals broke into his home in the upmarket neighbourhood of Sarria and took around £250,000 of valuables and cash as he was playing against Valladolid last night.
Police have confirmed they are investigating but have made no arrests.
A spokesman for the regional Mossos d’Esquadra force confirmed today: “We are investigating a burglary at a property in the Sarria area of Barcelona which has been reported to us.”
The force said it could not say who had reported the crime for “data protection reasons”.
Former Spurs and Portsmouth star Boateng, 31, only joined Barcelona on loan on January 21 from Italian side Sassuolo and made his club debut two days later in a 2-0 away defeat to Sevilla.
The German-born striker made his home debut at the Nou Camp last night – named in the starting line-up and played 60 minutes before being substituted.
He discovered the break-in when he returned home after the match.
As well as watches and jewellery, the burglars are also believed to have taken cash.
In June last year, burglars broke into the luxury home of Barcelona star Gerard Pique and his singer partner Shakira.
The footballer’s parents were said to have been asleep inside the mansion in Esplugues de Llobregat near Barcelona when the break-in occurred. They were unharmed.
Pique had travelled to the German city of Cologne were Shakira was performing and was not at home at the time.
The criminals, described as “professionals” left no fingerprints, reportedly took watches and expensive jewellery after timing their break-in to coincide with a storm which muffled any noise they were making.
In February last year burglars broke into former Liverpool star’s Philippe Coutinho’s home near Barcelona on the same day his car was towed away.
The midfielder had to get his Audi Q7 back from a municipal pound after visiting the famous Sagrada Familia monument with family and friends and leaving it badly parked.
Worse was to come when he returned to his luxury villa in Castelldefels a 30-minute drive south of the Catalan capital to find it had been burgled.
The thieves are thought to have taken advantage of two ladders that had been left by a neighbouring property where work is going on to enter the mansion, the old home of Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas.
The thieves struck while the 26-year-old, who joined Barcelona on a £142million deal in January last year, was out for dinner after recovering his car.
Coutinho was enjoying some down-time with his wife Aine and friends after staying behind in Barcelona while his team-mates travelled to Chelsea for their Champions League tie because he was ineligible to play in the competition.
Burglars also targeted Real Madrid star Raphael Varane’s home in December 2016 after he forgot to put his alarm on before leaving to play his last Champions League group stage match against Borussia Dortmund.
The French defender returned to find thousands of pounds worth of jewellery, cash, clothes and household accessories missing.
In November 2016 burglars stole designer watches and jewellery during a raid on the home of former Real Madrid and Barcelona star Luis Figo.
They are believed to have forced their way in through a first-floor terrace door after climbing the front of the house in the Madrid neighbourhood of Parque de Conde de Orgaz a short drive from Varane’s home.
Boateng is on loan to Barcelona until the end of the season although LaLiga giants have the option to sign him in the summer for £7.1m.
Source: thesun.co.uk
