Suspect arrested following burglary at Ben Stokes' residence
Published - 02 Nov 2024, 05:03 PM | Updated - 02 Nov 2024, 11:38 PM
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Ben Stokes faced a disturbing blow as his home in Castle Eden was targeted by burglars on October 17, with his wife Claire and their two young children, Layton and Libby, inside during the incident.
The robbery took place while Ben Stokes was away, touring Pakistan with England for a Test series, which recently concluded with a 2-1 loss to the hosts.
Ben Stokes' family left in trauma by burglary, England star calls for justice
Upon his return, England cricket team captain for Tests got to know about the disturbing reality that a gang had breached the security of his home, stealing several irreplaceable personal items, including his OBE medal—a symbol of his historic contribution to England's World Cup and Ashes triumphs in 2019.
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However, Ben Stokes’ family escaped physical harm, but the cricketer stated the trauma "had an impact on their emotional and mental state." The burglars were masked and ruthless, and they seized not only sentimental belongings but also a designer bag and precious jewelry.
Durham Police arrest a suspect in a burglary
Taking to social media, England’s star all-rounder made a heartfelt plea for the return of these cherished items, as they are irreplaceable for them. After the investigation, Durham Police confirmed that a 32-year-old man from North Yorkshire had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the robbery.
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 30, 2024
However, he has been released on bail pending further inquiries. With a dedicated effort underway, Stokes remains hopeful that the release of photos showcasing some of the stolen belongings will help the police swiftly identify the culprits.
The England captain said that his desire is not only to get back their stolen cherished belongings but also to get justice for his family’s suffering, and it will only be possible when the culprits get caught.
None of my family came to any physical harm: Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes said in a statement accompanying the missing items: “By far the worst thing about this crime is that it was carried out whilst my wife and 2 young children were in the house. Thankfully, none of my family came to any physical harm. Understandably, however, the experience has had an impact on their emotional and mental state.”
He further noted, “All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been. I am releasing photographs of some of the stolen items - which I hope may be easily identified - in the hope that we can find the people who are responsible for this. Although we have lost cherished possessions, to be clear, my sole motivation in sharing these photographs is not the recovery of material items. It is to catch the people who did this.”
Notably, the England cricket team is currently on the West Indies tour, where they are scheduled to play three ODIs and a five-match Test series. The West Indies had won the first ODI by 8 wickets, and they are now set to face England in the second ODI on Saturday, November 2, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
