The FBI is warning sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes after a series of burglaries at the homes of prominent NFL and NBA players.
The athletes’ homes are being targeted because of the perception that they may contain high-value goods such as designer handbags, jewelry, watches and cash, the FBI said in a Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.
The NFL and NBA have already sent security alerts to their players following the break-ins, some of which came while players were away with their teams for road games. The NFL’s warning says homes of professional athletes in multiple sports have “increasingly become targets for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete to have his home burglarized. Lara Beth Seager, the manager of the Star Guard, told several media on Saturday that Doncic’s home had been burglarized. Seager said no one was home at the time of the incident Friday evening, and Doncic filed a police report.
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Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati, along with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, have fallen victim, as have NBA players Bobby Portis of Milwaukee and Mike Conley Jr. from Minnesota.
Organized theft groups from South America use publicly available information and social media to identify athletes’ habits and track their comings and goings, the FBI report said. The groups use technology that allows them to bypass alarm systems, block wireless Internet connections and disable devices, cover security cameras and hide their identities.
Athletes are encouraged to report suspicious activity, keep track of valuables and where they are kept, deploy extra security and use caution on social media. The FBI also recommended that athletes avoid posting photos of valuables, the interior of their homes and real-time messages while on vacation.