Spanish police have reportedly arrested two people — including the housekeeper of Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas — on suspicion of stealing five luxury watches worth £175,000 from his Madrid residence.
According to Spanish media, the housekeeper allegedly swapped Casillas’ designer watches for cheap counterfeits in an attempt to deceive him. The second suspect, a security guard at the exclusive estate where the football icon resides, is believed to have aided in the scheme.
Casillas, 44, reportedly alerted authorities after noticing discrepancies in his prized collection. Police then set up a sting operation, which led to the woman’s arrest when she fell for their trap.
Telecinco’s El Programa de Ana Rosa reported:
“Police have already handed the suspects over to the courts. They intended to sell the watches for parts. Iker is shocked by the great trust he had in those two people who worked in his home.”
Local outlet Pozuelo IN revealed that the arrested duo devised a plan to steal the watches undetected, replacing the originals with replicas. Among the stolen items were several gold Rolex watches valued at more than €50,000 (£43,500) each, though investigators believe the total loss could be even higher.
Instead of selling the watches whole, the pair dismantled them to sell the components separately, making recovery and tracing more difficult.
The report added that Casillas — an avid watch collector — kept his timepieces in multiple rooms without a detailed inventory. Upon discovering the counterfeits, he filed a police complaint, prompting discreet surveillance of his household staff.
Investigators soon focused on the housekeeper, who had intimate knowledge of the collection’s location and size. In a controlled operation, police confirmed her involvement and recovered fragments of dismantled watches from her home, some matching models from Casillas’ collection.
Authorities also reportedly took statements from Casillas and his ex-wife, journalist Sara Carbonero, as part of the ongoing investigation.
Casillas — widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history — made 510 appearances for Real Madrid over 16 seasons before joining FC Porto. He retired from professional football in 2020, a year after suffering a heart attack during training with the Portuguese club.
