According to The Sun, Chelsea is facing a setback due to the disappearance of £30,000 worth of camera equipment from their training facilities. The club has reported the missing items to Surrey Police, as they were last seen at their Cobham headquarters. It is currently uncertain whether the high-tech video gear has simply been misplaced and may be found once all staff return from vacation. However, the situation is concerning enough for the club to involve law enforcement. Major football teams, including the reigning champions, rely heavily on video analysis of training sessions and matches to improve players’ performance in various aspects. Chelsea has chosen not to comment on the timing and situation surrounding the revelation that the equipment was misplaced. However, if a crime has taken place, it wouldn’t be the first incident in the tranquil Surrey neighborhoods affecting the club. Several Chelsea players have fallen victim to burglaries at their homes near the training facilities. For instance, Raheem Sterling’s residence was targeted in December 2022 while he was representing England at the World Cup in Qatar, leading to the theft of £300,000 worth of designer watches by a group of thieves. Following the incident, Sterling returned home to support his family before heading back to the tournament. Albanian Emiliano Krosi was subsequently sentenced to over 11 years in prison for his involvement in this burglary and 32 other break-ins in the South East region. Sterling was the fourth player from Chelsea to experience a burglary in a relatively brief period. Reece James, the current club captain, condemned the “cowardly thieves” responsible for breaking into his home in December 2021 while he participated in a Champions League match. The burglars stole a safe containing his Champions League winners’ medal from that year, along with his Euro 2020 runners-up medal from his time with England. It is reported that at least two additional unnamed Chelsea players faced similar incidents around that time.
