TOTTENHAM star Yves Bissouma was lured by a gang posing as fans wanting a selfie before he was tear gassed and mugged, police have revealed.
The Spurs midfielder, 27, was robbed of his £260,000 Richard Mille luxury watch as he arrived at a French hotel with his girlfriend in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Two masked men also ripped three diamond rings off his unidentified partner fingers as they tried to check into the five-star Majestic Barriere hotel in Cannes at around 4am.
Officers in the French Riviera resort described how the pair were confronted by the criminals, with Bissouma telling police he tried to take refuge inside the five-star property – but its doors were locked.
“They were clearly part of a very well organised gang,” a local judicial police source said.
“Both were waiting outside the hotel, and struck when the couple were dropped off by a chauffer-driven limousine at about 4am.
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“At first the men acted as is they want to pose for photographs with the star, but then it became clear they were wearing masks.
“The couple tried to get into the hotel, but were confronted with a locked door, and then gas was sprayed in their faces.
“A Richard Mille watch was taken, along with three diamond rings, before the men escaped in a Renault Megane.”
Bissouma and his girlfriend were so shocked and dismayed by the attack that they returned to London within a few hours.
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They had been due to spend several days’ 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.”
Prosecutors in Cannes have opened a criminal enquiry into the robbery, while police and gendarmes try to find those responsible.
They are hoping that some of the attack may have been captured on CCTV, along with the car’s number plate.
The source said such attacks were increasingly common across France, and especially in upmarket towns such as Cannes in recent years, with over 30 incidents reported since January 2023.
Two watches worth around £200,000 each were stolen during the annual Film Festival last month, which attracts celebrities from all over the world, and especially Hollywood.
Brands such as Richard Mille, Patek Philippe and Rolex are targeted because they can easily be sold off for more than cost price on the secondary watch market.
Bissouma was born in French-speaking Ivory Coast, but now represents Mali as an international.
The shocking incident comes as a second major blow to the midfielder this year, having contracted malaria while on international duty in January during the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
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Bissouma spent four seasons with Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring six goals in 124 games, before Spurs paid £30million for him in 2022.
The defensive midfielder also spent two seasons with French club Lille before moving to the UK.
Recent footballers targeted by thieves
By Tom Malley
Alexander Isak – April 2024
Newcastle forward Alexander Isak is one of the most recent footballers to be targeted by thieves after his luxury home was raided in April.
Professional robbers struck the Swede’s luxury home just 48 hours before he played in the Toon’s 1-0 win at Fulham on April 5.
It was not known whether Isak, 24, or any family were at home at the time but cops confirmed a car was stolen and later found abandoned three miles away from the property.
Kevin Volland – February 2024
Germany and Union Berlin striker Volland had his £150,000 watch stolen by a street performer whilst on a night out in Berlin in February.
Volland had been celebrating Union Berlin’s 1-0 win over Hoffenheim alongside team-mate Jerome Roussillon when his watch was nabbed while he was distracted.
Roussillon subsequently ran after the perpetrator and caught him before retrieving the watch.
Joelinton – January 2024
Like his Newcastle team-mate Isak, midfielder Joelinton was also the subject of a sickening home break-in when three burglars entered his mansion.
The injured Brazilian had been watching his team take on Man City from the sidelines when he got an alert that thugs had entered his house.
While at St James’ Park he immediately contacted the police who raced to the address in Northumberland, only to find the attackers had already fled.
Jack Grealish – December 2023
In December, Man City star Jack Grealish’s £5.6million Cheshire pad was raided by thieves while he was playing.
His loved ones, including partner Sasha Attwood, were forced to take cover as cops rushed to the £5.6million home to avoid a potential hostage situation.
The robbers made off with £1million worth of jewellery and watches, while Grealish’s family were left “really shaken” in the horror.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
