Premier League footballer kidnapped

[Andys]

A premier League footballer was kidnapped and dangled over a cliff by his legs after refusing to pay gangsters £20,000 for the return of stolen property.

The terrified star was snatched from his bed in the north of England in the middle of the night and driven blindfolded to a remote coastal spot where he was told he would be "dropped to his death" if he didn't pay up.

After pleading for mercy he was hauled back to safety after promising to find the money.

Police are aware but cannot investigate because the scared player has refused to make an official complaint.


Since the kidnap last year, the star who earns tens of thousands of pounds a week has been making regular payments to the gangsters from a well-known Northern crime family.


The player - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was targeted by the underworld mob following a burglary at his £3million home.


After reporting the breakin to police, he later retracted his statement following a visit from the villains who promised to return the stolen goods - thought to include sentimental football memorabilia, medals and trophies - if he paid £20,000.


The player agreed but later went back on the deal. A week later he was dragged from home in the early hours and dangled over the cliff.


A source said: "The lad was screaming for his life. He was left in no doubt that if he didn't start paying up he would be taken back to the cliff top a second time and simply thrown over.


"These guys are heavyweights with a top firm. You don't cross them or you pay with your life.


"The police are powerless to take action because the player is too terrified of revenge on him or his family if he dares to file a complaint.


"He is in a hell of a state but feels there's nothing to do but go along with the demands. He has been drip-feeding the gang money for nearly a year but is still waiting to get his property back.


"He has got in too deep and doesn't know how to get out. His club are believed to be aware but he's not spoken to them directly."


Police raced to the player's home four weeks ago after a burglar alarm linked to a police station was triggered amid fears that the gangsters had returned.


It was a false alarm but our source added: "The player is at his wits' end."

http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=premier-league-footballer-kidnapped-blindfolded-and-dangled-by-his-legs-from-top-of-a-cliff-by-gangsters%26method=full%26objectid=21990700%26site id=93463-name_page.html

[Mexel]

Oh god, i wonder who that is. Guessing its a Liverpool player though.

[Arron]

wow, sounds quite bad.

curse them legal reasons!!!11one

[JackBuddy]

Is it the Liverpool and Everton players who had their homes burgled? Someone from Wigan and Blackburn too I think...

[Jack.Lfc]

You wont hear nothing else about this, its probs ******** to sell papers, i memba there was one about 6 football players having aids, heard nothing more on that.

'sentimental football memorabilia, medals and trophies' Dudek was the only one who had his medals nicked.

[Immenseman]

well it can't be liverpool because they don't have medals and trophies. must be someone from united. LOL, i joke. i can imagine it being gary neville LOL dno why :l

[Andys]

could be someone like nicky butt?
or kieran richardson (might've won some medals? maybe youth cups etc)

[adaym]

berbatov.

putting £10 on it with betfair as we speak.

[Black_Apalachi]

I'm finding this so hard to believe. It's also made me feel sick though in case it is true (especially if it could be one of our own) :/ If it was last year though, I'm guessing it's nobody we currently see in the prem every week? I mean if talk of a free transfer unsettles a player, then God knows how this would affect them.

The thing I don't get is how a premier league footballer with a £3m home, seems to be struggling so much to cough up 20 grand? :S Unless they just keep demanding more and more after it? I guess 20k is stupidly small compared to how much they could demand.

Seriously makes a mockery of our police force though. I mean, we should be able to have enough faith in our police that if he did make a formal complaint, there would be sufficient security positioned at his home to protect him and his family for however long is needed.

[StefanWolves]

I'm finding this so hard to believe. It's also made me feel sick though in case it is true (especially if it could be one of our own) :/ If it was last year though, I'm guessing it's nobody we currently see in the prem every week? I mean if talk of a free transfer unsettles a player, then God knows how this would affect them.

The thing I don't get is how a premier league footballer with a £3m home, seems to be struggling so much to cough up 20 grand? :S Unless they just keep demanding more and more after it? I guess 20k is stupidly small compared to how much they could demand.

Seriously makes a mockery of our police force though. I mean, we should be able to have enough faith in our police that if he did make a formal complaint, there would be sufficient security positioned at his home to protect him and his family for however long is needed.
In all countries, there a minority who will always be above the law/police. It's the way of life. You could argue that the police are just legal gangs anyway. But that's another argument.

[CHA!NGANG]

If it is true, then it seems like he is being forced to pay out and that if he doesn't he will be harmed, also it seems like its a proper gang that are attacking him and that won't give up easily.

Best thing for the footballer to do is put in a transfer request and move abroad to be honest.

[TickTockTickTock]

Robinho. Explains his loan move.

[StefanWolves]

Robinho. Explains his loan move.
That would actually add up.

[CHA!NGANG]

I doubt Robinho would have a £3 Million house in England though. Also he doesn't have any family here I'm guessing.

[StefanWolves]

He's got £3,000,000 from the signing on fee from Real Madrid, so the money is not a problem. But I agree, he doesn't have family here?

[TickTockTickTock]

He's got £3,000,000 from the signing on fee from Real Madrid, so the money is not a problem. But I agree, he doesn't have family here?
Lives with girlfriend.


*Wife, got married last year.

[CHA!NGANG]

Ah ok fair enough. Won't be a problem for him to move abroad though if he only has his wife to worry about. He has the money and there are clubs that are after him. Saying that, I'm sure City will know about this, and if the reason he wants to move is because of this I'm sure City will have no problem at all with it and according to reports City don't want him to leave so I'm gona guess that it's not this otherwise City would have let him go by now.

[Jack.Lfc]

Gerrards house is worth 3mil..

[leah]

thats horrible!

[Black_Apalachi]

Robinho. Explains his loan move.


That would actually add up.

It so does add up! Cos he's not exactly lived up to his transfer fee over the last couple seasons with City has he.............. What I'm getting at is that whoever it is will hardly have their head in the game very well will they, so it could be him.

[::Art::]

robinho wudnt have too many medals only the 1's from madrid

[TickTockTickTock]

And the International & Santos ones...

[Black_Apalachi]

If it's true, I really think it's Robinho.

[Jack.Lfc]

I think its just someone trying to make money.

[CHA!NGANG]

If it was Robinho, then he'd of asked City to move swiftly and get him out of England without making it big news. He's talked to the Radio and told papers about his move and made it into a big deal and City are also reluctant to let him go so either he's dumb, City have no morals, or he isn't the person involved. My guess is the later.

[Black_Apalachi]

fine lol, but I really doubt it's Gerrard. He hasn't been playing too well, agreed, but that's pretty much certainly down to injury and I just can't imagine it...

[Smits]

Would like to knopw who it is anyway, whether tis real or not.

[Black_Apalachi]

Would like to knopw who it is anyway, whether tis real or not.

what? lol.. if it's not real then it's whoever you want it to be :P

[Immenseman]

it'll probably be a foreign player, can't imagine it being english

[TickTockTickTock]

it'll probably be a foreign player, can't imagine it being english
English are worst for it...

Gerrard has previous.
Lescott got kneecapped after messing around with a gangsters daughter.
Bradley Wright-P has been in bother.

etc

[Smits]

what? lol.. if it's not real then it's whoever you want it to be :P

It was written about a specific player i'm guessing, so i want to know who.

[Immenseman]

I didn't say they were exempt, I said I think it'll be a foreign player. BWP is a wannabe gangster anyway.

[Ardemax]

this is a shocking story.

can't wait for all tehh jokes to unfold

[Black_Apalachi]

English are worst for it...

Gerrard has previous.
Lescott got kneecapped after messing around with a gangsters daughter.
Bradley Wright-P has been in bother.

etc

what do you mean by kneecapped? :O
dunno if it's true but i heard Gerrard had a shotgun pointed at his kneecaps once :/

[TickTockTickTock]

what do you mean by kneecapped? :O
dunno if it's true but i heard Gerrard had a shotgun pointed at his kneecaps once :/
Baseball bat to his knee.

Anyway, it's not Robinho.

Moneys going on Berbaflop.