Chelsea defender Reece James has appealed to fans to help identify the “low life individuals” who stole a number of his winners’ medals from his home on Tuesday.
In an Instagram post, the England footballer confirmed his Champions League and Super Cup winners’ medals and Euro 2020 runners-up medal had been stolen during the robbery.
The right-back was playing for Chelsea in their Champions League home fixture against Zenit St Petersburg at the time.
While he was at Stamford Bridge, a “group of cowardly robbers” broke into his home and “managed to collectively lift a heavy safe containing some personal items” into their car, the footballer said.
James posted a collection of four video clips of the group of thieves, who appear to be wearing hoodies and have their faces covered.
CCTV posted on Reece James’s Instagram account showed the group entering his property
They are shown using, what seems to be, torches to look through a door to the house and some windows.
One of them uses a tool to smash their way in and they are all seen climbing through the opening before prising open the front gates to reverse in a car and load an item into the boot.
While James was playing in the Champions League, robbers broke in and stole a safe
The football star said: “The police, my advisers and Chelsea FC (and many others) are all behind me as we have firm leads on who the perpetrators are. We are closing in on them.”
He also said in the post: “I never keep any jewellery of mine in my house so all that was contained in the safe were my Champions League winners medal and Super Cup winners medal and the runners up medal for the Euro 2020.
CCTV showed the thieves reversing their car through the front gates
“These medals were won representing Chelsea and England – honours that can never be taken away from me whether or not I have the physical medals to prove it.
James called on fans to help ‘deliver justice where it is due’. Pic: AP
“Nevertheless, I am appealing to all my Chelsea and England fans to help identify and turn in these low life individuals who will never be able to rest easy as the evidence is mounting against them.”
He added that “luckily, no one was present during the break-in” and informed his fans that he is “safe and well”.
“I really do appreciate having the platform to tell you all about my misfortune and I hope together we can catch these individuals and deliver justice where it is due,” he wrote.
