England have recovered most of the training equipment stolen ahead of the squad’s arrival at their World Cup base in Kansas City, easing concerns over preparations for their opening match of the tournament.
The equipment had been reported missing after vehicles transporting supplies to England’s training camp at Swope Soccer Village were broken into before the team’s arrival in Missouri.
Police launched an investigation on Friday night after discovering that several items, including training gear, had been taken.
The incident occurred as Thomas Tuchel’s side prepared for their opening Group stage fixture against Croatia.
Police make arrests
Sources have confirmed that the majority of the stolen equipment has now been recovered. It is also understood that two individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
Before the recovery, a spokesperson for Kansas City Police said: “We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening. The investigation is ongoing.”
Officers have remained in contact with the Football Association throughout the investigation.
The theft initially raised concerns about potential disruption to England’s training schedule, with the squad due to arrive in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon before beginning final preparations for their tournament opener.
Personalised equipment among stolen items
Former England defender Phil Jagielka explained why the loss of some items could have been significant for players.
“We have plenty of pairs of boots throughout the season, but for the tournament a lot of them will have them personalised,” Jagielka told BBC Sport.
“A lot of them may have their own special insoles. Then you could choose whether to have the flag, your initials, your kids’ names, nicknames… All this would have been done months in advance.”
Despite the setback, England’s preparations are expected to continue as planned.
Tuchel and his players are scheduled to undertake their first full training session on Sunday as they build towards Wednesday’s clash with Croatia.
