Arsenal Defender Gabriel Foils Robbery Attempt
Arsenal defender Gabriel fought off a masked intruder wielding a baseball bat during an attempted robbery at his home in Barnet, north London. Footage released by the Metropolitan Police shows the 23-year-old footballer grappling with the assailant in his garage after being pursued following a night out.
The Confrontation
The incident occurred in August while the Brazilian star was returning home with his friend, Rodrigo Tavares. As the pair entered the garage, they were confronted by a gang of masked and hooded individuals. One member of the group, 26-year-old Abderaham Muse, approached the footballer while holding a baseball bat above his head. Muse demanded the keys to Gabriel’s £45,000 Mercedes, as well as the footballer’s mobile phone and watch. In the ensuing struggle, the 6ft 2in defender struck Muse in the face and engaged him in a physical altercation in the corner of the garage. Gabriel succeeded in grabbing the intruder’s hat before Muse fled the scene. Two other accomplices, one of whom had been stationed outside, also escaped. Neither of the other suspects has been caught.
Legal Proceedings
The footage of the event emerged following the sentencing of Abderaham Muse at Harrow Crown Court. Muse, who resides in Tottenham, was jailed for five years last month after pleading guilty to one count of robbery and one count of possession of an offensive weapon. Police were able to link Muse to the scene of the crime by using DNA evidence recovered from the hat Gabriel seized during the struggle.
During the sentencing, Judge Anupama Thompson remarked that the attacker had not specifically targeted Gabriel because of his status as a Premier League footballer, but rather because he perceived the victim to be wealthy. The judge noted that the robbers saw a nice house and a nice car and assumed the targets were “rich pickings.”
Prosecutor Martin Lewis confirmed that while no physical injuries were suffered by the victims, the incident caused a great deal of shock. He stated that the robbers had unfortunately chosen two victims who were very fit and able to look after themselves.
Background of the Assailant
Court records reveal that 26-year-old Abderaham Muse has a history of criminal convictions dating back to 2009. His past offenses include a 56-month prison sentence for possessing heroin with the intent to supply.
Context of Security Concerns for Players
The attempted robbery of Gabriel is the latest in a series of incidents involving Arsenal players in London. A notable prior case occurred in 2019, when then-Arsenal stars Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac were accosted by knife-wielding attackers on mopeds while driving through Hampstead. In that instance, Kolasinac successfully fought off the assailants, who were later jailed for attempting to steal watches valued at £200,000. Ozil has since departed Arsenal to play for the Turkish club Fenerbahce. Gabriel joined Arsenal in 2020 in a transfer from the French team Lille. The deal was reported to be worth approximately £27 million, with the defender currently earning a reported £50,000 per week.
