West Ham ace Andy Carroll hires bodyguard to beef up security after being threatened at gunpoint
Footballer told pals he was 'in fear for his life' when targeted by two thugs who tried to steal his £28,000 Audemars Piguet watch
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SHAKEN West Ham striker Andy Carroll has hired a bodyguard after being threatened in his car at gunpoint.
He has beefed up security after telling pals he was “in fear for his life” when targeted by two thugs who tried to steal his £28,000 Audemars Piguet watch.
One of the thugs ordered him to hand over his watch before chasing him at high speed through suburban Essex when he refused.
The crocked £90,000-a-week star was chauffeur-driven by a burly private guard after hiring consultants to boost his personal security.
Carroll, 27, told a friend: "I was at lights in Hainault when this motorbike pulled up alongside me. I had my window open and my arm on the car door and the bloke went, 'That's a nice watch.' I said, 'Thanks.'
"Then he paused and pulled out a hand gun and pointed it me and said 'Give me the watch.' “
He went on: “ For a second I didn't know what to do. Then he said again, 'Just give me the f****** watch.' "I put my foot on the accelerator and shot off. I could see in my rear view mirror they were following me. It was mad."
The friend said: “Andy tried hard to play it down but he was clearly terrified. It only hit him after it was over how dangerous he was.”
The chase started at 12.30pm and lasted 15 to 20 minutes, during which Carroll collided with several other vehicles in his imported £100,000 Mercedes G-Wagon. It’s thought he went round other vehicles and went through several red lights as he tried to get away.
Rather than lead the robbers to the Chigwell mansion he shares with Towie star wife Billi Mucklow and their one-year-old son Arlo, Carroll headed back to the fortified West Ham Utd training ground.
When they saw the security guards there, the would-be robbers aborted their pursuit and rode away. It's believed at least two motorbikes were involved.
Last night, manager Slaven Bilic described Carroll as "very brave".
He said: "He was brave because they asked for his watch with a gun, and he put the pedal down and he didn't want to give him the watch.
"So for me it's not about the watch, but for me that's very brave. He got chased for 15 or 20 minutes, it wasn't like 10 seconds, so it was probably planned.
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"I know that he was very brave to do what he did. He came back to the training ground and it stopped. But he's good, he's OK, he's not in shock and he acted as a really brave man."
Wednesday was wife Billi's birthday. The couple had planned to celebrate last night but reviewed their plans on the advice of security professionals hired by Carroll.
Carroll reported for training yesterday and, when quizzed by his teammates, appeared to be feeling "good" and "not in shock" over his ordeal, his manager added.
The friend told The Sun: "He was in fear of his life and doing everything he could to get away. He jumped a few lights and clipped some other cars but he had to. It was only when it was over that he realised how shaken he was."
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers were called to reports of an attempted robbery at gunpoint in Chigwell, north-east London.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "Police were called at around 12.45pm on Wednesday, November 2, to reports of two males on motorcycles attempting to rob the driver of a car in Romford Road.
"The two men threatened the driver and intimated through gesture that they were in possession of a gun.
The motorcyclists attempted to block the car as the driver sought to get away.
"The driver of the car - a man aged in his 20s - was able to manoeuvre away and he called police for assistance. The suspects rode off prior to the arrival of police.
"The driver of the car was spoken to and an allegation of attempted robbery was recorded."
Officers from Redbridge CID are investigating and are yet to make any arrests, the Met said.
A club spokesman said: "West Ham United can confirm an incident targeting one of our players on Wednesday 2 November. The matter is now being handled by the police." The flashy Mercedes G-Wagon driven by Carroll is popular among celebrities and has a top speed of 129mph.
The timepiece that thieves tried to steal is thought to be an Audemars Piguet wristwatch worth up to £28,000.
Players are an obvious target
By MIKE SULLIVAN
ANDY Carroll’s ordeal may spark copycat crimes, a former top cop warned.
Ex-Flying Squad chief Barry Phillips said: “This could be a worrying trend in which footballers are deliberately targeted.
“He was highly visible, driving a flash motor and wearing an expensive watch and as such made himself an easy and obvious target.”
Mr Phillips said players should vary their routes to and from training and not show off expensive watches or jewellery.
He said: “It’s basic common sense and an appreciation that as wealthy young men they represent a target for villains.”