OAN Staff Blake Wolf
3:18 PM – Friday, November 22, 2024
Multiple professional athletes have had their houses broken into as authorities investigate groups targeting players’ residences while they are away.
The NFL recently released an internal memo following the recent burglaries of the homes of Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, stating that the thieves “appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes’ homes on game days.”
$20,000 in cash was reportedly stolen from Kelce’s home on October 7th, along with $1,000 worth of damage inflicted on the back door.
“Obviously it’s frustrating, it’s disappointing,” Mahomes stated following the burglary. “I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing, but (it’s) obviously something that you don’t want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself.”
The FBI is currently investigating the trend in burglaries connected to prominent athletes, “which is believed to be tied to a South American crime syndicate,” according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The NFL’s internal memo continued, urging players to restrain from posting expensive items on social media, or revealing their whereabouts in real time.
“It is important for players to maintain situational awareness, practice social media safety, and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of becoming a target,” the memo continued.
The NFL’s memo added that some of the criminal groups scout the houses by making “attempted home deliveries,” as well as “posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in a neighborhood.”
Meanwhile, the NBA released their own internal memo, directly addressing the FBI’s investigation.
“The FBI reported that, in most of the incidents, the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated,” it read. “The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present.”
The NBA’s memo attributed the burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups (SATGs).”
“These SATGs are reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices,” the memo added.
The NBA’s internal memo follows after the homes of Minnesota Timberwolves’ Mike Conley Jr., and Milwaukee Bucks’ Bobby Portis were broken into.
“I consider Milwaukee my home. Last night, while I was at work, my home was burglarized, and many of my prized possessions were stolen,” Portis wrote on X following the burglary.
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