Detectives are investigating a £500,000 raid on the London mansion of a Premier League star, 29-year-old Crystal Palace centre back Mamadou Sakho.
Sakho’s wife, Majda, and their three children were away when intruders struck at the gated property in Wimbledon.
The couple rent the multi-million pound house from former Chelsea and Arsenal player Nicolas Anelka and his wife Barbara Tausia.
Six years ago, the former France international, 40, reportedly chased the Wimbledon Prowler Asdrit Kapaj through his back garden after an attempted break-in.
Police and residents fear copycat criminal gangs are once again stalking the affluent south London suburb.
Earlier this week, the Standard revealed celebrity chef Marcus Wareing had fallen prey to a gang of Chilean “burglary tourists” who raided his £5 million home in Wimbledon while he and his wife were away.
Last night, as Sakho arrived home to be with Majda, 34, a designer, he told the Standard: “Everything is OK. Me and my wife, we’re OK.” He declined to comment further.
Speaking from abroad, Anelka’s wife Ms Tausia, 42, a Belgian choreographer, added: “The house is rented so I do not know what happened to them. Yes, I knew about it, but I have no details. Everything is OK.”
Scotland Yard believe two men broke in at about 1.30pm on December 27. Police declined to release details of what was taken in the break-in, which was reported at 9pm the same evening, but the Standard understands the value of stolen goods to be approximately £500,000.
The following day former Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool star Sakho played in a match in Southampton for Crystal Palace.
