Villa intrusion at Valencia shocks football world
Three thieves pulled off an audacious theft at the Bétera residence of Levante defender Shkodran Mustafi. The haul reportedly included luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet worth up to 800,000 euros, designer handbags from Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton totaling about 48,000 euros, and assorted jewelry including rings, bracelets, and diamond earrings valued at roughly 280,000 euros, along with more than 11,000 euros in cash. The details come from case documents reviewed a year after the incident, with the Civil Guard continuing the investigation and no arrests announced to date. The incident underscores how homeowners in high-profile households can become targets for well-planned operations.
On a Monday night, with the footballer at home in the Llíria area, three suspects entered the property along with an accomplice described by Mustafi and his attorney as wearing hoodies and gloves. The break-in occurred on April 24, 2022, at 23:20, while Mustafi, his wife, and their two young children were inside. Security cameras captured footage of the violent theft inside the house, documenting the drama as it unfolded.
The footballer later stated that the assailants appeared to know there was a safe in the bedroom closet, adding that the attack began after the couple returned from a trip to Germany and were watching television. A noise on the terrace drew Mustafi toward the master bedroom where the assailants began striking the bedroom window with a mace. The situation quickly escalated, and he recalled yelling for his wife to call the police as he moved to protect the children in the nursery before the intruders targeted the safe.
Mustafi described how one intruder stood by the nursery door while a second advanced toward the kitchen to open a path for a third thief waiting in the garden. The assailants ordered the couple to their bedroom and restrained the footballer, muffling him to prevent speech. The third intruder pressured the wife to open the safe, which had been placed in a closet. The attacker demanded information about the whereabouts of the jewels, insisting that the couple reveal what was inside as they searched for valuables.
Panic button and the fight for the agency of protection
Mustafi explained that a panic alarm was triggered during the scuffle. He managed to move the children to a safer space and attempted to secure the family, but the team of intruders finally opened the safe in the closet and seized cash along with a box containing several watches while the couple watched in fear. The attackers did not allow them to descend to the living areas with the children until all items were removed and documentation related to the valuables was recovered.
According to Mustafi, one thief took jewelry from a dresser in a bedroom while another insisted the wife reveal more from the locked storage area. The couple could only describe the terror as the thieves pressed for speed and control, repeatedly asking where the items were kept while claiming they had not previously been in the house. The assailants’ demands and movements indicate a highly planned operation rather than a random break-in.
The capture of items and the aftermath
In the course of the raid, the intruders reportedly emptied a dresser and a cabinet of valuables. They moved the family to the children’s playroom, where the children remained under supervision as the adults were forced to comply. The thieves directed the Mustafis away from access to other rooms and seized additional cash before attempting to escape with the loot. The couple managed to contact authorities after the thieves fled and the family was secured and unharmed beyond the obvious shock and fear.
The case documents indicate that a total value of roughly 1,200,000 euros of goods were captured by the intruders. The trio reportedly instructed the family not to contact the authorities and to stay in the designated area as the culprits made their exit from the property. Investigators later traced the sequence of events as the attackers left through the home area and proceeded to a secure exit without causing physical injuries to the occupants beyond the immediate distress.
Access routes and security gaps
The Civil Guard’s work reveals that the chalet is protected by a high boundary wall and fencing that borders a nearby golf course. The thieves allegedly scaled the fence and accessed the residence through the terrace, entering while security sensors and doors were in use elsewhere on the property. They then moved to the master bedroom area, leveraging a house under construction adjacent to the estate to approach the target. A broken window with a sledgehammer signaled the break-in’s culmination when the intruders finally gained access to the living quarters.
The security company contracted by Mustafi has tied the incident to a well-organized criminal group. Investigators noted that the thieves apparently studied the house and its protective measures, and crucial alarm sensors did not activate during the break-in. The implication is that the attackers exploited gaps in the alert system to complete the theft without triggering an immediate response. The Civil Guard continues to investigate, pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to identify and apprehend those responsible for this highly planned heist.