Ben Stokes says his home was broken into in front of his family

File image of England cricket captain Ben Stokes during a test match against Pakistan | Photo credit: AP

England cricket captain Ben Stokes said masked burglars stole jewelry and “irreplaceable” personal items in a break-in at his home while his family were in the house and he was away with the national team in Pakistan.

Stokes announced on Wednesday (October 30, 2024) that the burglary took place on October 17 at his home, Castle Eden, in northeast England. It was the third day of the second Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, with Stokes having just returned to the team after an injury.

Among the items Stokes said were taken in the robbery was his OBE (Order of the British Empire), a medal awarded on behalf of the country.

“The worst thing about this crime is that it was committed while my wife and two small children were in the house. “Fortunately, no one from my family was physically harmed,” he wrote on X.

“Understandably, however, the experience had an impact on her emotional and mental state. All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been.”

The thieves stole jewelry and “other valuables and a lot of personal items,” he said.

“Many of these items have real sentimental value to me and my family. They are irreplaceable.”

Stokes, a World Cup winner with England and one of Britain’s most famous sports stars, said he went public with the news to help police catch the burglars. He posted photos of some of the stolen items.

“Although we have lost valuable possessions, my sole motivation in sharing these photos is not the recovery of material items. This is about catching the people who did this,” he wrote.