Everton striker Thierno Barry has expressed his profound relief that his young family was unharmed during a burglary at their home last week. The 24-year-old was playing for the Toffees in their Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle United when the incident occurred at his Greater Manchester residence.
Barry, who is Everton's top scorer this season with three goals in eight Premier League appearances, said the situation could have been far more serious. "Things could have been much worse had his partner and toddler not be in the stands," Barry said. Greater Manchester Police confirmed an investigation is ongoing, with no arrests made at this stage.
While Barry was on the pitch contributing to a 3-1 win, burglars targeted his home. They are reported to have stolen jewellery, handbags, and signed first edition Harry Potter books. The intruders were in the property for around five minutes before police, alerted by a neighbour, arrived on the scene. Barry's partner, Charlene, later posted on social media appealing for information and offering a reward.
The incident is part of a worrying trend of footballers' homes being targeted. It came just days after a similar raid at the home of Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and followed a burglary at the Cheshire home of Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes earlier in the month.
The forward has vowed to be more cautious about sharing details of his personal life online to better protect his family. He stated that protecting loved ones is the most important thing and that he would not put them at risk in the future by posting about his life on social media. The event has clearly impacted the player, who described his childhood as never easy, reinforcing his commitment to family security.
On the pitch, Barry's focus remains with Everton, who sit 14th in the standings with 10 points from eight games. His goal in the recent 3-1 league win over Newcastle was a decisive moment in a match that also saw strikes from James Garner and Hayden Hackney. The team's form has been mixed, with two wins, a draw, and two defeats in their last five outings, leaving them 11 points behind leaders Manchester City.
Sean Dyche's side now prepare to face Newcastle again, this time away from home on 2 November, in a quick Premier League rematch. Barry will be hoping to channel his off-field relief into another positive performance as Everton look to climb the table.
This story first appeared at bbc.co.uk
