His talent as a professional footballer may have helped him escape a city rife with drugs, gangs and violence, but former South African international Benni McCarthy has told of how he has been forced to leave his home in Edinburgh after it was targeted by home burglars. The former Blackburn Rovers player was enjoying a holiday with his wife, Stacey, and their children when the brazen thieves raided his mansion, taking personal laptops, his luxury Range Rover, and other items from the home as well as making a failed attempt to make off with his Mercedes-Benz.
‘Terrified’
McCarthy, whose childhood friend grew up to become one of Cape Town’s most notorious gang leaders, said that the robbery has left himself and his wife terrified to return to the house, and they have instead moved to another part of the city. The 38-year old told of how himself and his family were enjoying the first day of their holiday in Dubai when they were given the news of the break-in. Speaking to a South African newspaper, McCarthy said that the thieves had ‘taken computers and stole my Range Rover.’ He also said that whilst the thieves had not been able to get the Mercedes out of his garage, they had made off with the keys for the car.
Living in Fear
Even though physical items can often be replaced after a burglary, McCarthy says that what is bothering him the most is that his wife and daughters are now scared of returning to the home and of another burglary occurring. The footballer said that he was glad that his daughters were not at home at the time, adding that if they were, he ‘would have probably tried to fight to protect them’. He also added that his wife, former Miss Edinburgh, did not want to continue living in that house any longer after the incident took place, and as such the couple have bought another house in a different neighbourhood of the city. The football star expressed his disgust at the actions of the thieves, saying, ‘where I come from, I didn’t have anything. I had to leave my home and everything behind to make a success of myself. And then people just come and want to take, just like that’.
Robberies in Edinburgh
If you are living in Edinburgh, you might want to contact a locksmith company that is as good as the metrolocks.co.uk, London locksmiths company who can help you update the security in your home and stop thieves getting in through the front door. This is because last year, the police watchdog found Edinburgh to have the highest rate of crime in Scotland, with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary also finding the city to have the lowest rates of detection. House robberies and break-ins have been a particular issue, with an increase of almost 21% of reports made regarding this crime, according to a survey carried out in 2015.
This is the second robbery that Mr. McCarthy has experienced recently, having been robbed at gunpoint in Johannesburg just last year. His advice is for people to realise that crime is everywhere and to always be cautious.
