FRENCH police are linking the robbery of Spurs player Yves Bissouma with a near-identical attack on American tennis ace Sebastian Korda.
Both stars had their £260,000 Richard Mille luxury watches snatched from their wrists by two men who disguised themselves with masks and motorbike helmets.
It is feared that Bissouma, 27, and Korda, 23, were both tailed by an “expert gang” who worked out their movements before pouncing.
An investigating source on the French Riviera said: “There are major similarities between the two attacks, which suggests they are linked.
“Extreme violence was used in both cases, and the two men had their escapes perfectly planned in stolen cars.
“Gangs are frequently after a specific type of luxury watch, and in this case very distinctive Richard Mille ones were the target.”
More on Yves Bissouma theft
Bissouma lost his prestige timepiece early on Sunday morning after being tear-gassed outside the five-star Majestic Barriere hotel in the seaside resort of Cannes.
His girlfriend also had three diamond rings ripped off her fingers by the two men, who originally asked the couple if they could pose for selfies alongside them.
Korda, meanwhile, had his Richard Mille taken in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, close to Monaco two months ago.
He was taking part in the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament, which is sponsored by Swiss luxury watch company, Rolex.
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He was “thrown to the ground, before one man held him down, and the other snatched the watch,” a local police spokesman said.
Both robberies are being investigated by prosecutors supported by judicial police, but nobody has yet been caught in either case.
The second hand market for luxury watches is huge, with brands such as Richard Mille often selling for far more than their list price.
This is because there is frequently a waiting list for new ones, and buyers do not want to wait.
Watches are also very easy to smuggle around the world, meaning a watch that is stolen in the south of France can easily be dispatched to countries such as Russia or China.
Gangs are known to study videos and pictures of celebrities wearing such watches before planning ruthless attacks.
Bissouma, the Spurs midfielder, returned to England soon after Sunday’s attack, while Korda, currently ranked 27th best tennis player in the world, is also back in his home country of America.
Footballers targeted
LUXURY watch-owning Premier League stars have long been the target of home raids, with street gangs eyeing off expensive timepieces to buy drugs and pay off debts.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
