An inside job: the most painful betrayal

Iker Casillas never imagined that the most unexpected blow of his life would come not from the pitch, but from inside his own home. The former Real Madrid and Spain national team goalkeeper recently discovered that he had been the victim of a luxury watch theft worth more than $50,000 carried out by two people within his inner circle: his housekeeper and her husband, who worked as a security guard in the exclusive La Finca estate in Pozuelo de Alarcón.

According to police sources, the couple took advantage of their position of trust and knowledge of the ex-footballer’s schedule to execute a plan as daring as it was clever. They accessed his home without arousing suspicion and replaced the authentic watches with nearly identical replicas, allowing the theft to go unnoticed for months. It was only when Casillas decided to inspect his collection that he noticed discrepancies and immediately alerted the authorities.

The perfect plan that led to arrest

After receiving the report, Spain’s National Police launched a swift investigation that ended with the arrest of the couple responsible for the theft. Both were detained as they attempted to leave the country, having already disposed of part of the stolen pieces.

During the operation, officers recovered two of the stolen watches, one intact and another in parts, though the rest of the collection remains missing. Investigations confirmed that the couple acted with full knowledge of the goalkeeper’s routines, exploiting the times when Casillas was away from home.

What most surprised investigators was the level of precision involved. The replicas used to replace the originals were of such high quality that only an expert eye could tell the difference. This degree of sophistication led police to suspect that the crime was not a simple domestic theft, but rather part of a larger organized scheme with previous experience.

The sentimental value behind the watches

Beyond the financial loss, what hurts Casillas the most is the emotional value of the stolen pieces. His collection included iconic brands such as Rolex, Omega, Audemars Piguet, and IWC, timepieces he acquired throughout his professional career, each representing key milestones.

One of the most prized watches was a gold model reportedly worth over $50,000. But for Casillas, its worth wasn’t just monetary, it carried memories of victories, awards, and celebrations. That’s why, beyond the economic loss, the incident represents a deep personal disappointment, especially given the involvement of people who were part of his everyday life.

A bitter lesson and a growing trend

This case has raised alarms among security forces, who report an increase in robberies targeting athletes and public figures. Spain’s Central Unit for Specialized and Violent Crime (UDEV) has warned of a surge in gangs specializing in stealing luxury watches from exclusive areas of Madrid, Barcelona, and the Costa del Sol.

For now, the investigation remains open, as police work to recover the remaining stolen items and determine whether the arrested couple was involved in other similar crimes. Meanwhile, Casillas has stayed silent publicly, though sources close to him say the former goalkeeper is “deeply hurt and disappointed” by what happened.

The robbery has exposed not only a physical vulnerability, but an emotional one too: the betrayal of those who were closest to him.