The former Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena has claimed his arrest on suspicion of shoplifting in Harrods was due to an “oversight”, and has threatened legal action over reports which appeared to suggest otherwise.
The 33-year-old, who joined Leyton Orient in November 2014 after being released by Sunderland, was detained with a 31-year-old woman at the Knightsbridge department store, with both bailed pending further inquiries.
A Metropolitan police spokesman said: “Police arrested a 33-year-old male and a 31-year-old woman on 7 April on suspicion of shoplifting at Harrods. They were taken to a west London police station. Both the man and woman have been bailed to a date in late April, pending further inquiries.”
Dossena confirmed an incident had taken place, but reacted angrily to the way it was reported, issuing a statement via his agent Federico Pastorello, who tweeted: “In regard to the news released today on some websites, I would like to make very clear that the story reported is unfounded.
“I was in Harrods with my wife and my son for some shopping and I forgot to pay for a honey jar and some sliced meats we had previously ordered. While exiting the shop unaware of my oversight, I was stopped by security guards [who] then called the police as a standard routine procedure.
“As I wasn’t carrying with me any identity documents at the time, I was asked to go to the nearest police station in order to be identified, after which I left and went back home. Hence, I have now instructed my lawyers to protect my image with all necessary legal actions against those who reported this inaccurate and tendentious news.”
