Philippe Coutinho has Barcelona home burgled on same day £148million ex-Liverpool star has car towed away
Burglars are believed to have taken advantage of two ladders that had been left by a neighbouring property to gain access to Brazilian's luxury pad
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POLICE are hunting burglars who broke into former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho’s new Spanish home - on the same day his car was towed away.
The Barcelona midfielder had to get his £100,000 Audi Q7 back from a municipal pound on Monday evening after visiting the famous Sagrada Familia with family and friends and leaving it badly parked.
Worse was to come when he returned to his luxury villa in Castelldefels - a 30-minute drive south of the Catalan capital - to find it had been burgled.
The thieves are thought to have taken advantage of two ladders that had been left by a neighbouring property where work is going on to enter the mansion, the old home of Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas.
Police from the regional Mossos d’Esquadra force, who sent forensic experts to the scene to try to collect evidence including fingerprints, are investigating.
Details of what was taken have not been made public.
Well-placed police sources confirmed this afternoon they were yet to make any arrests.
One said Coutinho, who joined Barcelona in a £145million deal in January, had yet to make a formal written complaint to police but is expected to do so in the next few hours.
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The thieves struck while the 25-year-old was out for dinner after recovering his car.
He was enjoying some down-time with his wife Aine and friends after staying behind in Barcelona while his team-mates travelled to Chelsea for their Champions League tie because he is ineligible to play in the competition.
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The villa targeted is on a residential estate called Bellamar and is close to the home team-mate Luis Suarez and his family live in. Leo Messi also lives nearby.
The ex-Liverpool man was bought his new pad by Suarez before his transfer to Barcelona had been completed.
He told the shortly before he was unveiled as a Barcelona player: “Luis saw that a house next to his became available.
“He didn’t know I was coming for certain but he liked the idea. It’s a kind gesture. We’ve seen the pictures, the views look amazing.
“We are in touch all the time and I look forward to seeing the property with my family. I know Luis will help us to feel at home.”
Asked recently if Messi was a good neighbour, Suarez said: “Well, he has great security, which helps us all.”
Coutinho had a window smashed on his luxury Porsche Macan while he attended Liverpool’s end-of-season awards night in May last year.
Burglars targeted Real Madrid star Raphael Varane’s home in December 2016 after he forgot to put his alarm on before leaving to play his last Champions League group stage match against Borussia Dortmund.
The French defender returned to find thousands of pounds worth of jewellery, cash, clothes and household accessories missing.
In November 2016, burglars stole designer watches and jewellery during a raid on the home of former Real Madrid and Barcelona star Luis Figo.
They are believed to have forced their way in through a first-floor terrace door after climbing the front of the house in the Madrid neighbourhood of Parque de Conde de Orgaz, a short drive from Varane’s home.