Instagram post cost John Terry £400,000

Posting holiday snaps online cost former England captain John Terry dear, after a gang of opportunist thieves broke into his house while he was away.

Back in February, Terry revealed to his 3.4 million Instagram followers that he was having a 'great few days away skiing with the family', posting pictures of himself in the French Alps with his wife Toni, 35, and their children.

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But the posts attracted the attention of a gang of burglars who took advantage of his absence to raid the £5 million home, stealing £400,000 worth of goods.

They stole rare signed first edition Harry Potter books valued at £18,000, £219,000-worth of Cartier jewellery and 28 designer handbags worth £126,000. They included a £42,000 snakeskin Hermes bag and Chanel bags worth £8,000.

There were said to be so many handbags at the property that the thieves couldn't carry them all.

None of the items has been recovered.

The gang also caused £19,000 worth of damage, according to the Daily Mail.

Darren Eastaugh, 30, Joshua Sumer, 27, Roy Head, 28, and 25-year-old Oliver Hart have admitted carrying out the burglary, along with six others across Surrey and Sussex earlier this year.

A fifth man, Kye Hardy-King, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of handling stolen goods when some of the stolen property was found at his home.

"The deliberate targeting of expensive homes guaranteed that once access had been gained, the items found within, would be sought-after luxury goods. The most high-profile and best example of this, was the burglary of former England football captain, John Terry's, home address," said Rossano Scamardella, prosecuting.

"The whole family was enjoying a short break abroad, skiing. At the time Mr Terry made the mistake of posting a photograph of himself and his family on the social media platform, Instagram - revealing, as it must have done to anyone who saw it, that their house was empty."

Other victims of the gang include multi-millionaire Gypsy Alfie Best, who had nearly £150,000-worth of luxury goods stolen a few weeks after the burglary at Terry's home.