FOOTIE star Ashley Cole was attacked by a gang of masked robbers at his home, The Sun can reveal.
The ex-England and Chelsea ace’s mansion was ransacked and high value jewellery stolen.
Raiders in balaclavas and camouflage clothes smashed their way in to the property through the rear doors.
Sources said Cole, 39, may have been threatened and tied to a chair but a spokesman on Tuesday night refused to comment on the claims.
A source said: “It was a terrifying experience.
“The robbers sounded very professional and knew exactly what they were doing.
“They must have deliberately targeted Ashley and cased the place in advance.”
Cole, now a TV pundit and Chelsea youth coach, was said to have been “extremely shaken” by the ordeal but otherwise unharmed.
Cops are still hunting the gang who carried out the heist at 9.45pm on January 21 in Fetcham, Surrey.
Details of the raid were not released at the time and the value of the stolen jewellery is unknown.
They must’ve been very clued up
Ashley Cole’s neighbour
Neighbours confirmed cops had quizzed many of them at length over the robbery.
One said: “Police seemed to be taking it extremely seriously and we’ve been on edge ever since.
“Ashley Cole is one of the most high-profile people around here and his property looks very modern and secure, so whoever did this must have been clued up.
“People who know him are quite protective and it’s an area where everyone values their privacy so this has shaken us up quite a bit.
“The police didn’t name Ashley Cole when they questioned us but everyone around here knows it was his home that was targeted.
“It must have been terrifying.”
Another neighbour said: “It happened a while back and the police seemed to want to keep it under wraps.
“They asked us not to talk about it.
“But it’s not clear whether that’s because Cole was high-profile or because they were worried the robber might strike again.
“It’s scary to think something like this could happen to someone so close to home in such a nice, quiet area.
“It must have been a serious incident because everyone we know seems to have been asked about it by police going door-to-door.
“They seemed to be very anxious to find whoever was responsible.”
COLE MANSION QUIET
Father-of-two Cole retired at the end of last season.
He played for Arsenal, Chelsea, Roma, LA Galaxy and Derby County.
Cole also won 107 England caps, more than any other full-back.
He is currently working as a coach for Chelsea’s youth academy and has appeared as a telly pundit for major games.
There was no sign of life on Tuesday at Cole’s mansion, behind high fencing and a video entry-controlled gate in Surrey’s stockbroker belt.
THE NIGHT WATCHER
Wealthy locals initially feared he had fallen victim to a violent burglar dubbed the Night Watcher.
The crook, believed to be ex-special forces, has robbed 12 wealthy homeowners of more than £10million in a series of terrifying raids in Surrey and other counties in the South East.
However, detectives are satisfied that there are no links to the break-in at Cole’s home.
Surrey Police said: “Our investigation remains ongoing following an aggravated burglary in Fetcham on 21 January.
“Burglars broke into the property through the rear doors around 9.45pm.
“The suspects searched the property, before escaping with a quantity of jewellery. They were described as wearing camouflage clothing, gloves and balaclavas.
“An investigation is under way and enquiries remain ongoing.”
