Arsenal player fought off robbers at his home in the summer
Arsenal defender Gabriel fended off two armed robbers who attempted to steal the footballer’s car on August 20. The incident has been revealed in recent days following a court case, which saw the assailant, Abdi Muse, jailed for five years for attempted robbery in November.
It is not the first time in recent years where Arsenal football players and potential Premier League winners have been subject to violent attacks. Former Gunner Mesut Özil and Sead Kolašinac were also forced to defend themselves from armed robbers following an incident in July 2019.
There have also been further cases of Premier League footballers being targeted by robbers, including players from Arsenal’s North London rivals Spurs. Dele Alli and Jan Vertonghen have also been victims of past robberies and burglaries in North London.
Gabriel the latest victim of armed attack
The court case over the failed robbery on Gabriel has come to light following the court case over the incident that concluded on November 17, 2021.
Details recovered from CCTV footage showed how Gabriel fought off a baseball bat-wielding robber who followed the defender to his house in Barnet, North London. The assailant attempted to steal the Brazilian’s car after gaining access to star’s house.
The attacker confronted Gabriel with a baseball bat and the Gunners player managed to grab hold of the robber and pull off an item of his clothing. After an altercation, the robber fled the scene with Gabriel’s car keys along with an accomplice.
After the tussle, Abdi Muse was late arrested and charged for robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. Police were able to recover DNA from the scene to identify Muse during the investigation.
Following the incident, Gabriel was reportedly given support by the Arsenal football club to help him cope with the potential trauma of the situation. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta also praised the character of his player and expressed relief that Gabriel and his family were unscathed after the incident.
Similar Incident for Özil and Kolašinac
Crimes committed against Premier League players are not uncommon and North London appears to be a regular area where individuals are targeted.
One high-profile incident caught footage of two armed robbers trying to steal luxury watched from Gabriel’s former Arsenal team-mate Mesut Özil and current Gunners player, Sead Kolašinac, on July 25, 2019, in Hampstead, North London.
The two attackers, later identified as Jordan Northover and Ashley Smith pulled alongside Özil’s car on a moped before one wielded a screwdriver towards Kolašinac. The Arsenal defender then fought back and chased off the assailants and the two players managed to flee the situation without any harm or damage.
The two assailants were charged. Smith was jailed for ten years following the court case after the attack, while his accomplice Northover pleaded guilty for trying to steal the watch from the pair. Özil and Kolašinac were left out of Arsenal’s squad for their following match to deal with the trauma.
Although professional football players are targeted regularly in such instances, very few attacks lead to harm.
