25 September,2009 07:42 AM IST | | AFP
Everton defender Phil Jagielka was confronted by knife-wielding burglars, the latest Premier League star to fall victim to gangs raiding the homes of soccer's super-rich.
The 27-year-old, who is currently injured, was watching his team on television on Wednesday when three men burst into the father-of-two's plush home in Knutsford, north-west England.
He was threatened with a knife and forced to hand over jewellery and the keys to his car.
"Three men gained entry to a house in Knutsford. The homeowner was threatened with a knife and forced to hand over jewellery and the keys to his Range Rover car. Fortunately nobody was hurt and the car was found abandoned a short distance away," said a police spokeswoman.
Last month Blackburn midfielder Vince Grella was also held at knife-point when thieves smashed their way into his home in Wilmslow, also Cheshire.
Other players to have been targeted in the past include Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.