Five men and a woman were detained and police seized 10 watches, jewellery, €3,300 in cash, and two air pistols, police said in a statement.

The arrests took place on Feb 13 but were only disclosed this week.

The string of burglaries was carried out from July 2022 in wealthy neighbourhoods in and around Madrid, according to police.

Colombian Radamel Falcao, a player for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano, and Brazilian Rodrygo Silva de Goes, who plays for Real Madrid, were among the victims, a police source told Reuters.

Police said the suspects showed a “high degree of professionalism” by studying videos and photographs the players and their entourage shared on social media to collect information about the layout of the homes and when their occupants were away.

The suspects also scoped out the security systems to determine how to gain entry, police added.

Three of those detained are being held in custody, and an investigation into charges of robbery with force, one robbery with violence or intimidation, forgery of documents, and money laundering is ongoing, police said.