Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma and his wife were robbed outside luxury hotel in Cannes over weekend. This resulted in theft of his £260000 watch. The £30million player along with his wife arrived at the Majestic Barriere hotel around 4am on Sunday. Two hooded men reportedly ambushed them.
Bissouma, 27 tried to seek refuge inside the hotel. But the doors were locked. The assailants then allegedly sprayed tear gas in his face. They ripped the expensive watch from his wrist. The robbers made off in a car, leaving Bissouma and his wife shocked and dismayed.
French national police have opened an inquiry into the incident. It occurred on the Promenade de la Croisette Cannes’ most upscale street. Bissouma and his partner returned to England later that day. They cut short their planned holiday at the French resort. A spokesperson for Tottenham told The Sun, “We are aware of the incident that took place and we will continue to check on the welfare of Yves and his family.”
This shocking incident is second blow this year for Mali international who contracted malaria while on international duty in January. He caught the potentially fatal infection at Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, ironically country of his birth. Bissouma spent four seasons with Brighton. He scored six goals in 124 games before Spurs paid £30m for him in 2022. Since then he has made 56 appearances for the north London club. Before moving to Brighton, the midfielder spent two seasons with French club Lille.
Rising Incidents of Watch Thefts and Targeted Robberies
Watch thefts have become increasingly common in Cannes. There have been over 30 incidents reported since January 2023. Bissouma is just the latest footballer to be targeted by robbers. This follows a series of terrifying raids on stars’ homes across England. In the past 12 months, Newcastle players Alexander Isak and Joelinton, England stars Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling and West Ham defender Kurt Zouma have all fallen victim to theft. In 2023 alone there were five burglaries at homes of footballers.
These incidents prompted chilling warning from Supt Carl Williams. He is former boss of national intelligence unit focused on serious organised crime. He suggested that gangs are scouring social media feeds. They learn players’ timetables. Williams noted “In today’s world where many wealthy individuals are active on social media their significant public profile can help make them targets. High-value possessions are often on display as well as information about their plans.”
There is fear that true reason behind spate of high-end robberies could be even more sinister. It is believed that many of thieves, who reside in Albania are flying into UK specifically to burgle Premier League stars. They then flee, often wearing stolen goods while going through airport security. Many stars have been targeted by “away day” looters. They strike when teams are traveling for their games.
