More and more NFL professionals have recently become victims of burglars. In an effort to curb apparent gang-related incidents, the NFL has issued a safety warning to teams.
After repeated cases of break-ins among NFL professionals, the league has responded with a new security warning.
In recent weeks, players from various teams have fallen victim to burglars who appear to be acting like gangs. The houses of players who were not at home were specifically chosen – usually because they had a game.
The most prominent cases involved the two superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, who were robbed at the beginning of October – immediately before the home game against the New Orleans Saints. Last weekend it hit Linval Joseph’s home in Minnesota; the former Vikings professional now plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
The FBI is reportedly treating the incidents as international organized crime. A syndicate from South America is said to be behind the break-ins.
“It’s real,” said a source familiar with the situation. “It is a transnational crime ring, and for the past three weeks they have targeted NBA and NFL players across the country,” it said.
According to various reports, the gangs only select houses where no one is present at the time of the crime. They use public records to try to find out the players’ home addresses.
Burglars usually steal cash, jewelry or watches
Taking into account the game plans and the players’ social media posts, they ultimately choose the optimal time to strike. The loot usually includes items that can be stolen quickly, such as cash, jewelry or watches. The burglars mostly concentrate on bedrooms and closets.
The NFL therefore advises players not to make real-time posts on social media, to install security systems and not to leave valuables lying around.
