Police Recover Stolen Women's Champions League Trophy

Portuguese police announced Tuesday the recovery of the Women’s Champions League trophy after it was stolen from the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, which will host the upcoming final between holders Barcelona and Arsenal.

The burglary took place during a league game between Sporting Lisbon and Vitoria Guimaraes on Saturday, though it wasn’t reported to law enforcement officials until the next day.

"Multiple people donning balaclavas forcibly opened a gate" at the stadium's garage, where the event's finale is scheduled for May 24, according to a police statement.

Aside from the trophy, various pieces of equipment owned by UEFA were also stolen.

The aforementioned items, together with the trophy, have now been handed back to European football's regulatory authority, as reported by a police spokesperson to AFP.

According to a police communiqué, thirteen suspects have been pinpointed; however, the statement provided no information about the operation that resulted in the retrieval of the purloined objects.

The probe continues, with law enforcement indicating their anticipation of recovering additional items and making extra arrests in the upcoming days.

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