When you’re as famous as David and Victoria Beckham, security has to be the number one priority — particularly when you’re getting kidnapping threats immediately after welcoming your first child. In the 2023 Netflix series “Beckham,” David opened up about the terrifying ordeal the couple faced shortly after their son Brooklyn’s birth in 1999. “The moment [Brooklyn] came out, I all the sudden thought, ‘How am I going to protect him? What am I going to do to protect him?'” the soccer star shared (via Glamour). He added, “I didn’t want [Brooklyn] to come into this life at a time where I was going through what I was going through. But when there [were] kidnap threats, that’s when it got scary.” David even recalled refusing to sleep in bed with his wife after the birth, instead remaining against the door to make sure no one entered the room. Victoria elaborated on the scary time, sharing how worried she felt while looking after their son alone while David played soccer. Police became involved after the threats against Brooklyn, but no arrests were made.
The former Spice Girl also admitted in the docu-series that she didn’t even feel safe attending David’s games with Brooklyn, who’s now all grown up, because of the abuse she received. The most bizarre part of all? The hate resulted from soccer fans who weren’t happy with David’s performance on the field. But, unfortunately, things didn’t get any better after their second son, Romeo, came into the world.
David and Victoria Beckham were almost victims of a ransom plot and experienced a burglary
After David Beckham and Victoria Beckham became parents for the second time in 2002, the now-defunct British newspaper News of the World uncovered that things had gone one step further than threats, escalating into an actual kidnapping plot. A criminal gang had planned to kidnap Victoria, Brooklyn, and Romeo in an attempt to extort £5 million (around $8 million at the time) from the family. David spoke out in a statement, “The first role of a father and husband is to keep his family safe” (via BBC News). The then Manchester United player added, “Because of this incident, we will be reviewing our security arrangements again with help from both the police and the security experts at Manchester United.” In June 2003, it was confirmed that five people had been charged in the plot.
But that’s not all the family have faced. In 2022, The Sun confirmed that the Beckham clan’s London home had been burglarized while David, Victoria, and their daughter Harper Beckham slept. Thankfully, the trio were unharmed, but the perpetrator stole several of their belongings.
The family has upped security and reportedly built a panic room
After being targeted so many times, it’s unsurprising that David and Victoria Beckham are willing to do whatever it takes to keep themselves and the four Beckham kids safe. In 20222, an exclusive from The Sun reported that David and Victoria had plans to increase security measures at another of their U.K. properties following the robbery. Their home in the Cotswolds was already protected by 24-hour security and a gatehouse, but the couple decided to add a new security building. Local news outlet CotswoldJournal confirmed the proposed security measure was backed by others who lived nearby, with one unnamed neighbor stating, “I know the householders are high profile people, and I hope this security building can be allowed to help them sleep safely at night.”
That upgrade came after the Beckhams supposedly followed King Charles’ lead regarding home security, as a source told the Mirror in 2013 that they had installed a panic room in their London home. “Security is a concern and the new house has a soundproof panic room,” the insider said. After so many years of being targeted by dangerous criminals, we really don’t blame them.
