West Ham striker Andy Carroll threatened at gunpoint in ‘attempted armed robbery’ on way home from training
West Ham striker unharmed after being targeted just minutes away from Hammers' Essex training ground
WEST HAM striker Andy Carroll has been threatened at gunpoint in an attempted armed robbery.
The former England star was attacked on his way home from training on Wednesday in what police believe was a targeted attack.
One of the men was waving a gun at Carroll after they pulled alongside his £100,000 Mercedes-Benz G-Class at a junction in Chigwell, Essex.
The former Newcastle and Liverpool forward drove off at speed with the two bikers in pursuit, but he managed to lose them.
Carroll, who has won nine England caps, is said to have crashed into several cars as he raced back to the safety of West Ham’s training ground in nearby Rush Green, East London.
The police were called at 12.45pm, with the footballer left “shaken and stunned”, according to the Daily Mail.
A club spokesman said: “We can confirm an incident targeting one of our players on Wednesday. The matter is being handled by police.”
The Hammers are now expected to beef up security and patrols in the area around the training ground.
It is not the first time Carroll has been targeted by crooks.
In 2010 his chrome-plated Range Rover was torched on the driveway of his then-Newcastle United colleague Kevin Nolan, who he was staying with at the time while on bail for allegedly assaulting an ex.
Carroll and his teammate were photographed looking shocked as they returned from training and saw the burnt-out motor.
Obscene graffiti was also sprayed on a garage.
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Although those assault charges were dropped, he has had other brushes with the law.
In December 2009 he pleaded guilty to common assault after being accused of glassing a man in a nightclub.
He paid a £1,000 fine and £2,500 in compensation. There were also rumours in 2010 of a fight with teammate Steven Taylor that left both men with broken bones.
Carroll has not played this season since picking up an injury on the opening day in August.
Hammers boss Slaven Bilic said it could be a few more weeks before he returns to the football pitch, adding: “He’s progressing, but it’s not at the speed we wanted. He’s getting better every day, but he’s still not ready to train with us.”
Carroll, who earns £80,000 a week, is recovering from his ordeal at home with fiancée Billi Mucklow and their baby son Arlo.
In 2011, Liverpool signed him for a record £35million from Newcastle. But after failing to earn a regular place at Anfield, Carroll joined West Ham in August 2012 for £15.5million.
The Met Police confirmed two men on motorbikes attempted to rob a driver in his 20s. A spokeswoman added: “There has been no arrest at this stage.”