DAILY MAIL
An Albanian burglar who raided the homes of Premier League stars in a £1.1million spree has been jailed for nearly 13 years.
Emiliano Krosi, 24, took part in 33 burglaries over a four-month spate between November 11 and March 16 last year, including targeting the homes of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella and Scott Dann.
When burgling the property of Sterling, he noticed which watches were real and left the fake ones behind, the court heard.
The homes were ‘carefully selected in the hope and expectation of rich pickings’ and the gang carried out ‘rapid untidy searches’.
When Krosi – who travelled to the UK in the back of a lorry – was first arrested he said: ‘What is burglary?’
But the judge told him ‘you revelled in what you were doing’ and his ‘greed resulted in a huge toll of human misery’.
An Albanian gang used a ladder to break into Raheem Sterling’s home
Jewellery and watches worth £300,000 were reportedly stolen from the house, where Sterling and his family are seen here
He was jailed for 12 years and 10 months for conspiracy to burgle, possession with intent to supply cocaine and simple possession of cannabis.
The total value of the burglaries was around £1.139 million, the court heard. Other alleged co-conspirators fled the country while on police bail.
Footballer Scott Dann, in a statement read by the prosecutor, said his wife had lost her engagement ring and he was at home with wife and two young children when they were burgled. A total of £220,000 was stolen.
During an earlier trial of issue, the court heard that the burglars climbed into England footballer Raheem Sterling’s bedroom and stole 10 of his luxury Rolex watches worth at least £300,000.
Now-Arsenal player Sterling was abroad playing football for the England team in the World Cup in Qatar and rushed home, missing the vital match.
During the trial of issue, the prosecutor said: ‘One of the victims, Raheem Sterling MBE, lists 10 very valuable Rolex watches that were stolen from his partner’s wardrobe and comments that he also has a number of fake watches that he also has in the same wardrobe.
Sterling missed a match at the 2022 Qatar World Cup after flying home after the burglary
Sterling celebrates after scoring their team’s third goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in their group match against Iran before the break in at his home took place
‘However these burglars knew what they wanted and took the valuable ones. Even in the hurried circumstances of a burglary, these burglars knew exactly what they were up to.
‘Mr Sterling’s home was broken into between December 1 and 3 2022 when he was away playing football. Mr Sterling would have been participating at the Qatar World Cup for England’s Men’s Football Team during this period.’
The court previously heard Marc Cucurella, a Chelsea player, lost £62,000 worth of property – including Louis Vuitton bags.
Mr Bendall said at the trial of issue: ‘You do admit burglary number eight,in Surrey.
‘That was the home of the richest of your victims – Inna Gudavadze, the Georgian philanthropist – worth billions.
‘But there’s evidence from your housekeeper that nothing valuable was kept there so all you got was £300 cash.’
The court heard Krosi had a photo on his phone showing his cousin with a stolen necklace, along with photos of multiple cars linked to the burglaries.
He also searched for Rolex watches and Louis Vuitton and messages were found including discussions of offloading stolen items.
The court previously heard Marc Cucurella, a Chelsea player, lost £62,000 worth of property – including Louis Vuitton bags
Bukayo Saka of Arsenal is challenged by Marc Cucurella of Chelsea on November 10
His cell phone was linked to some sites of the burglaries.
Lucy Kennedy, defence counsel for Krosi, said: ‘These were not aggravated burglaries, there was no intention for them to be aggravating.
‘He regrets the whole saga.’
The judge said the evidence pointed to the criminal gang being a ‘familial group.’
Prosecutor Richard Bendall said: ‘This was an agreement with others – some of them related – to burgle high value homes in Surrey and elsewhere. It was a successful enterprise.
‘They were all large high-value detached properties situated in affluent areas… usually with large extended rear gardens that backed onto open land.
‘They had been carefully selected in the hope and expectation of rich pickings which were quite often materialised.
‘The modus operandi was that of cross country, then rear garden access, then using ladders or furniture to access the properties.
Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann celebrates at the end of a Premier League match in 2021
‘There were rapid untidy searches of most of the properties – usually restricted to bedrooms but often the main bedrooms.
‘Six different motor vehicles were used in the enterprise, registered under various false names of fictitious companies.’
The court heard that Krosi and his colleagues were arrested when police tracked one the vehicles to a property in Roman Mews, Harlow, Essex, following a burglary.
Blood was recovered from point of entry, which matched the defendant’s cousin – Gerard Kalaja.
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