Serial burglar who forced Raheem Sterling to leave England World Cup camp jailed

Raheem Sterling’s house was raided by burglars in December 2022 while the now Arsenal star was on international duty with England at the Qatar World Cup and a punishment has now been dealt

A burglar who stole thousands of pounds worth of property from England star Raheem Sterling while he was at the World Cup has been jailed.

Emiliano Krosi, 24, was accused of carrying out 33 robberies on December 3, 2022 - a string of raids that included the now Arsenal star’s home. Sterling was forced to fly home from the Qatar World Cup at the time.

An estimated £300,000 of designer property was taken, while ten of Sterling’s Rolex watches were robbed. Krosi was subsequently charged, while he admitted to 15 of the break-ins. And he has now been dealt out his punishment having been sentenced to 12 years and ten months in prison.

Judge Catherine Hartley adjudged him to be responsible for all 33 of the burglaries. Speaking at Guilford crown court, she said: “You are a dishonest and greedy man who willingly and enthusiastically took part in what was a familial, criminal gang. Your greed and your criminality has resulted in a huge toll of human misery.”

PC Katherine Stevens, from Surrey Police, added: “Krosi was extremely methodical and organised in his targeting of homes, with the sole aim to make as much money as possible off the back of other people.”

Krosi was already on bail after being caught with cocaine and cannabis on a train. He was sentenced to 19 months for possession with intent to supply - and his two sentences will now run consecutively.

Opening up on the robbery, Sterling revealed it was hard to mentally get over. As quoted by The Sun, the England winger said: "I beat myself up that I didn't keep my family secure. It's one thing I said I would always do, so it wasn't a nice feeling. I couldn't live with myself if anything had come to pass from it.

"It was something I meant to do before going to the World Cup and I didn't so I was beating myself up about it. It's the most scary thing to know with the age of the people living in my house. It's not a nice feeling."

Since the burglary, Sterling has subsequently moved clubs. He had only joined Chelsea from Manchester City a matter of months prior.

But he now finds himself on a season-long loan with Arsenal. Sterling has made eight appearances for the Gunners since then but has scored just once.