Jul 11, 2007 7:36 pm US/Central
Antoine Walker Speaks About Robbery At His Home
Miami Heat Star's Car and Jewelry Recovered
STNG Wire contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
-
-
Antoine Walker (File Photo)
AP
-
-
The NBA star's Chicago home was burglarized Monday night.
CBS
Miami Heat star forward Antoine Walker appeared shaken up Wednesday as he discussed the home invasion at his River North mansion for the first time, as well as his plans for the future.
"I was leaving out; a group of men approached me as I'm leaving the garage and forced me into my house. That's when the robbery took place," Walker said, recounting the terrifying Monday robbery at his $4 million River North home.
Three masked men held him at gunpoint, tied him with duct tape, and stole money, jewelry and his car. Walker first called police, then his mom.
"Antoine, he's a very outgoing person, a very giving person. Why someone would want to do this, I have no idea," his mother Diane said.
Walker says he feared for his life and now he intends to move. "I just don't feel safe; feel violated a little bit. And now it's all over the news so everybody in the world knows where I live at. So I think it's best to move on," he said.
It's not the first time the former Mt. Carmel star has been victimized in his hometown. Seven years ago, outside a West Side restaurant, a gunman robbed Walker of cash and a 55-thosuand dollar diamond and platinum Cartier watch.
But walker says he's not sure if he was targeted.
"A lot of people get envious of material things you may have. There's people out there that do things like this. That's why I'll always do positive things, work with you to deter them from doing things like this," Walker said.
Walker hosts an annual basketball camp at Rich East High School and says while he plans to leave his house, he won't be leaving Chicago.
"I'm hurt by this because I'm from Chicago. This is where I'm at. I want to feel comfortable."
Walker's car, a Mercedes coupe CL550, was discovered Tuesday morning at Karlov and Potomac on the West Side. The car was stripped of its tires, rims and stereo. Police are hoping it will yield some clues to the robbers' identities.
Two officers in the Chicago Lawn District received information Tuesday that a man and woman had the jewelry that was taken from Walker's home.
The officers stopped the couple's car for running a stop sign at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday near 76th and Cicero. The officers asked the pair to empty their pockets and found two watches and a diamond necklace, police sources said.
Walker visited the Chicago Lawn police station and confirmed he owned the jewelry. His mother, Diane Walker, said her son was pleased to have his jewelry back, although some is still missing.
Detectives do not believe the man and woman participated in the Monday home invasion in the 400 block of West Huron. The relationship between the home invaders and the people in custody was unclear, sources said. The man and woman both have criminal records.
Detectives also are reviewing video taken from surveillance cameras in Walker's upscale neighborhood, sources said.
Walker doesn't think he knows the intruders, but also says he's going to have to be a little more careful about who's around him.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
