The Liverpool captain's home in Formby was broken into while he was away in France for the club's Champions League match against Marseille.

The BBC News website looks at the previous incidents.

Dirk Kuyt is a Dutch international

Striker Dirk Kuyt was burgled in November while he was on international duty with his home country Holland.

The 27-year-old became the fifth Liverpool footballer to be targeted by thieves in less than 18 months.

Merseyside Police confirmed following the incident that they were investigating the burglary at the luxury house in Woolton.

Spain's Pepe Reina is the club's first choice goalkeeper

Pepe Reina was burgled in May while he played for Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.

Spanish international Reina, 24, had saved two out of three spot kicks in a penalty shoot-out against Chelsea at Anfield to help take Liverpool through to the Champions League final.

But he returned from celebrating the win in the early hours of the following morning to find his home in Woolton, Liverpool, had been ransacked.

The player's Porsche Cayenne was taken, along with a number of other valuable items, including paperwork, jewellery and an entertainment system.

Champions League hero Jerzy Dudek now plays for Real Madrid

The home of Jerzy Dudek, Liverpool's former goalkeeper, was burgled in June 2006.

Dudek, who left the club for Real Madrid this summer, was on holiday in Poland when his Porsche car, jewellery and a large haul of football memorabilia, including his European Cup medal, were all stolen.

A 20-year-old man was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in a young offenders' institution in December 2006 after pleading guilty to the break-in, and seven others. Five of these were at homes of Premiership footballers.

His other victims were Liverpool's Peter Crouch and Daniel Agger, Florent Sinama-Pongolle who had been on loan at Anfield, and Everton's Tony Hibbert and Andy Van der Meyde.

England star Peter Crouch joined Liverpool in 2005

Danish defender Daniel Agger had his Wirral home burgled in September 2006 and striker Peter Crouch's house in Alderley Edge was targeted in the same month while he was on England duty.