After a series of break-ins at the residences of well-known NFL and NBA players, the FBI is alerting sports leagues to criminal organizations that prey on elite athletes.
According to an FBI Liaison Information Report acquired by ABC News, the players’ homes are targeted because it is believed that they may contain expensive items including jewelry, watches, designer purses, and cash.
Following the break-ins, some of which occurred while players were traveling with their teams for games, the NFL and NBA have already sent security alerts to their players. According to the NFL’s advisory, organized and skilled organizations are increasingly targeting the residences of professional sportsmen in a variety of sports for burglaries.
The most recent professional athlete to have their home broken into is Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. The star guard’s business manager, Lara Beth Seager, informed several media outlets on Saturday that Doncic’s house had been broken into. Doncic reported the incident to the police, and Seager stated that no one was home when it happened on Friday night.
NBA stars Mike Conley Jr. of Minnesota and Bobby Portis of Milwaukee have also been victims, as have Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati.
On Monday, December 23, 2024, in Dallas, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) challenges a call made by referee Sean Wright (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers. (Photo by AP/LM Otero)AP
According to the FBI investigation, South American organized thievery gangs use social media and publicly accessible information to track the whereabouts and habits of athletes. By using technology, the groups can deactivate equipment, restrict wireless internet connections, get around alarm systems, cover security cameras, and conceal their identities.
Athletes are urged to report suspicious activities, maintain track of valuables and their locations, implement additional security, and exercise vigilance when using social media. Additionally, when on vacation, the FBI advised athletes to refrain from sharing real-time posts, photos of their houses, or images of their assets.
NBA of America: https://apnews.com/hub/NBAas well as the NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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