Ashley Cole, a former Arsenal and Chelsea star, fell victim to a gang of masked robbers who reportedly forced their way into his mansion and made away with valuable jewellery.
The incident took place on January 21 at 9:45 pm in Fetcham, Surrey. However, police did not release details of the robbery at the time.
Despite the ordeal, the former England left-back emerged physically unharmed but was said to be “extremely shaken.”
Sources revealed that the 39-year-old, who currently serves as a Chelsea youth team coach, was reportedly threatened and restrained in the incident, although this claim was not addressed by Cole’s representative.
The value of the stolen jewellery is yet to be disclosed.
An unnamed source stated: “It was a terrifying experience.
“The robbers sounded very professional and knew exactly what they were doing.
“They must have deliberately targeted Ashley and cased the place in advance.”
A resident, speaking to Sun UK under anonymity, expressed concerns about the seriousness with which the police were handling the matter, indicating that the community had been unsettled by the incident.
“Ashley Cole is one of the most high-profile people around here and his property looks very modern and secure, so whoever did this must have been clued up.
“People who know him are quite protective and it’s an area where everyone values their privacy so this has shaken us up quite a bit.
“The police didn’t name Ashley Cole when they questioned us but everyone around here knows it was his home that was targeted.
“It must have been terrifying.”
Another neighbor shared similar feelings about the situation but noted that the police seemed intent on keeping the matter low-profile, leaving the community fearful of a potential repeat of such an alarming incident.
“It’s scary to think something like this could happen to someone so close to home in such a nice, quiet area.
“It must have been a serious incident because everyone we know seems to have been asked about it by police going door-to-door.
“They seemed to be very anxious to find whoever was responsible.”