Source: Daily_Mail
Everton's Phil Jagielka held at knifepoint after becoming latest burglary victim
Everton star Phil Jagielka was held at knifepoint after a gang of robbers burst into his luxury mansion as he watch a TV broadcast of his team-mates.
The 27-year-old, sidelined by a cruciate ligament injury, was sitting down with a group of friends to watch his team play Hull in the Carling Cup when three armed men burst into the £2.5million home.
The raid is the latest in a score of attacks on footballers' homes by violent armed gangs in the north-west in the past three years.
The gang threatened Jagielka with a knife and demanded to know where he kept all his valuables.
They then ordered him to hand over the keys to his luxury Range Rover before ransacking the house and making off with jewellery.
The footballer was described as 'shocked and upset' by the raid on his luxury home near Knutsford, Cheshire.
More than a dozen, including Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and Roque Santa Cruz have had millions of pounds worth of property stolen in raids.
Earlier this year, the home of Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher was robbed just hours after he had flown to Italy with Manchester United.
His girlfriend, Hayley Grice, was seized by a gang of thugs and had a knife held to her throat after the ruthless gang burst into their gated £2m mansion.
She was then dragged round the house by her hair, forced to hand over her £30,000 engagement before being left shocked and in tears.
The gang normally target the luxury homes of footballers when they are away playing in matches but they may not have known that Jagielka has been out of the game all season with the serious injury to his left knee.
A police source said: 'There were three male friends at the house with the footballer but these raiders obviously had a plan and came armed with knives.
'It must have been an extremely scary situation and they are clearly extremely dangerous bunch of violent criminals.
'The occupants of the house did the sensible thing and didn't try any heroics. They handed over the keys to the car and the jewellery and let them go on their way.
'Hopefully forensic officers will be able to lift some clues that may lead to identifying one or more of these offenders.'
Jagielka, who is married to Emily and has two children, was said to be fine after the robbery ordeal.
His father said his son was 'OK' after being robbed at knifepoint but refused to talk about the raid.
Jagielka and his family are understood to have moved into the rented £2.5m detached house back in February while they wait for builders to complete their own architect designed home.
A cleaner at a neighbouring house said they were a quiet family who liked to keep a low profile in the community.
A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: 'Shortly after 8pm, three men gained entry to a house in Knutsford.
'The homeowner was threatened with a knife and forced to hand over jewellery and the keys to his Range Rover car. Fortunately nobody was hurt during the incident and the car was found abandoned a short distance away in Knutsford.'
