Paris (AFP) – Seven people suspected of organising and taking part in burglaries at the homes of Paris Saint-Germain footballers Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Thiago Silva were charged in the French capital on Tuesday, according to judicial sources.
Six men and one woman, aged between 25 and 29, were detained in Paris and the surrounding area last Thursday. Six of those subsequently charged were remanded in custody pending their trial, while the seventh person was released under judicial supervision.
The gang stands accused of stealing items worth hundreds of thousands of euros from the PSG stars. The charges include “theft committed by an organised gang” and “participating in a group preparing to commit criminal acts”.
They are suspected of committing a total of five burglaries in upmarket neighbourhoods of Paris.
Last December, PSG’s Brazilian defender Silva had up to 600,000 euros ($666,000) worth of items robbed from his home in the plush 16th arrondissement while he was playing a Ligue 1 match against Nantes.
Two days later, Choupo-Moting’s home in the city was burgled for the second time in a month — he had previously been burgled while PSG were playing a Champions League game against Liverpool.
Items with an estimated total value of one million euros were stolen from the Cameroon striker’s apartment.
The most recent burglary occurred last week, on the night of August 20, when a member of the Saudi royal family reported jewellery and watches at an estimated value of 1.8 million euros stolen from his 6th arrondissement apartment.
Investigators believe they may have also been responsible for another burglary on the same street just a few days before.
Following Thursday’s arrests, the police raided the homes of the suspects and claimed to have discovered jewels, money, luxury fashion items and weapons.
