Dirk Kuyt's home in the Woolton district of the city was burgled last Thursday evening, after he had left Liverpool to join up with the Dutch squad for their match against Luxembourg. It is unclear what was taken, but a number of his team-mates will sympathise. Thieves broke into the homes of striker Peter Crouch and the defender Daniel Agger as both took on Galatasaray in a Champions League match in 2006 and the goalkeeper Pepe Reina had his house ransacked while his penalty saves were helping Liverpool to beat Chelsea to reach the Champions League final in May.

Liverpool offered their players a house-sitting service while they are away from the city after earlier attacks. Jerzy Dudek's home was burgled in June 2006 while he was on holiday in his native Poland. He, like Reina, lost a Porsche and jewellery. The Everton winger Andy van der Meyde was burgled twice last year.

In December 2006, a man was jailed for two and a half years for the Dudek raid and seven other burglaries at Liverpool and Everton players' homes. Liverpool are also investigating how pictures of John Arne Riise's pay slip appeared on the internet after apparently being stolen.