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(NewsNation) — The FBI is warning sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes following a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent NFL and NBA players.
The athletes’ homes are targeted due to the perception they may contain high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches and cash, the FBI said in a Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.
The NFL and NBA already have issued security alerts to their players after the break-ins, some of which have come when players were away with their teams for road games. The NFL’s alert says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic’s house in Texas was broken into Friday, making him the sixth known professional athlete targeted in a string of recent home burglaries.
About $30,000 in jewelry was stolen, The Dallas Morning News reported. No one was at the house at the time, Doncic’s business manager told the newspaper, and the athlete filed a police report. An investigation is ongoing.
Doncic is still on the road for a four-game trip with the Mavericks. The team won’t be back in Dallas until New Year’s Day.
Kelce, Mahomes among those stolen from
High-end crimes like the burglary at Doncic’s house have been reported in several states since October.
South American theft groups are suspected in burglaries at the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as well as Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s residence.
Authorities say these aren’t your typical smash-and-grabs. An NBA security alert had warned players to take precautions, especially during road games, due to “targeted burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
“These are more organized rings, or cells of thieves, that are very highly trained,” retired FBI Special Agent Bobby Chacon said in an interview with NewsNation.
Athletes aren’t the only ones who have seen valuables get stolen. Actor Keanu Reeves had watches taken from his home in Los Angeles last year. These watches, including a $9,000 Rolex with a personalized inscription referencing the movie “John Wick 4,” were recovered by police in Chile, CNN first reported.
Police reportedly arrested a 21-year-old man in connection to the items stolen from Reeves. It is not clear whether the suspect is linked to organized crime groups hitting U.S. houses.
Organized groups have been targeting wealthy Americans using sophisticated tactics, including Wi-Fi jammers or cameras hidden in rocks and foliage to better track when people are coming or going.
A lot of basic information can be fairly easy to obtain, though.
“If you have a particular individual that’s an athlete, a wealthy CEO, you can find out just about anything you need to find out about these people online,” security expert Mike Barbieri says.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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