The family of Manchester City football star Jack Grealish was gripped by fear as robbers raided their Cheshire mansion on Wednesday night, leaving them concerned about a possible hostage situation. The burglary resulted in a loss of £1 million worth of watches and jewellery belonging to the 28-year-old footballer.
At the time of the intrusion, Grealish’s family, including his fiancée Sasha Atwood, parents, grandparents, two sisters, and brother, were downstairs in the residence, engrossed in watching the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton. Disturbed by noises upstairs and the loud barking of dogs reacting to the intruders, the family immediately called the police.
Authorities rushed to the scene, fearing for the safety of the family members, and even dispatched a helicopter to the location.
Grealish, who was instrumental in Manchester City’s victory over Everton that night, returned home after the match to console his shaken family. On Thursday, he was observed inspecting the grounds of the mansion, which he had recently moved into shortly before Christmas.
An anonymous source revealed, “The family is really shaken. The gang took a lot of watches and jewellery. They executed their raid when Manchester City were playing live on TV and all his family had gathered downstairs to cheer him on. No one was injured but there was a lot of panic. Everyone was terrified as they were all so vulnerable.”
The source went on to explain that the vast size of the property and the unfamiliarity of the family with the house contributed to the initial difficulty in detecting the intrusion. When the family’s dogs began to act aggressively and signs of unauthorized individuals moving about became apparent, they activated the security panic alarm.
In response, an emergency unit was dispatched immediately, with multiple police vehicles and a helicopter deployed to the scene. Initially, there were concerns that a hostage situation or worse might be unfolding.
Cheshire Police confirmed the incident, stating, “At around 9.50 pm on Wednesday, December 27, police were called to reports of a burglary. The caller reported that several items had been stolen. Officers supported by police dogs and National Police Air Service were deployed, and searches were conducted in the local area, but there was no trace of the suspects.”
