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Picture Credit: Reuters

While Lionel Messi often finds himself in the news for his achievements on the football field, this time around he has been the victim of a rather tragic incident. Among the world's richest football stars on the planet, Leo Messi has been robbed. It is being reported that several thieves broke into his room and robbed jewelry and cash. The robbery allegedly took place on Wednesday last week at the five-star hotel in Paris.

However, Messi is still living in his five-star room along with his wife and children after he left Spanish club Barcelona earlier this year. Leo is residing in the luxury hotel Le Royal Monceau and is reportedly spending INR 17.5 lakhs per night at the hotel. The hotel, it is being told, is the same where Neymar had put up before finding a permanent residence in the city. The hotel not only has a pool but also has a cinema hall and numerous restaurants to serve the best French cuisine.

After featuring in the Champions League match for the Paris Saint-Germain against Manchester City on Wednesday, when Messi came back to his hotel, crash barriers were put up. Notably, three other robberies were also reported to have took place at the same hotel.

Thieves might have used the roof or unlocked balcony door a floor above to enter

That thieves robbed a room inside such a posh hotel has raised suspicion and put the security of the place under scanner. A report carried by The Sun claims that the jewelry that Messi has been robbed is worth thousands of pounds. The same report adds that the thieves had broken into Messi's room through the roof of the hotel.

A separate version claims that the thieves used the unlocked balcony door one floor above Messi's luxury suite to break into Messi's room. Messi has reportedly lost $15K in cash apart from the thousands of pounds worth of jewellery.

An experienced gang was responsible: Police source

As per the hotel officials and the local police, an investigation has already been launched in this regard.

"There has clearly been a very serious security breach and it’s being investigated. There is evidence to suggest an experienced gang was responsible," a police source was quoted by The Sun.

Notably, security had already been ramped up in August after the 34-year-old Argentine had moved into this hotel along with his family.

The recent update regarding his abode is that he has apparently signed a new lease for a family home in the French capital and will be moving out shortly.