The FBI has issued an official warning about criminals targeting the homes of professional athletes
A series of burglaries targeting the homes of professional athletes has gotten the FBI involved.
The FBI issued an official warning to the major leagues on Monday, notifying them of a string of hacks that began in early September and continued through the end of 2024.
The FBI reported that “at least nine professional athletes” had their homes burglarized, including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, as well as Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Joe Burrow, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, among others. .
The burglary at Doncic’s home happened Friday night, the Dallas Police Department told USA TODAY Sports.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is among the professional athletes whose homes have been broken into.
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What does the FBI say about thieves?
Not much is known about who the burglars are. The FBI reports that they are an organized group from South America that conducts complete technical and physical surveillance to properly prepare each house.
“These preparation strategies enable theft groups to break in in a short time. Organized theft groups bypass alarms, use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras and hide their identity,” said I -FBI.
The FBI also said that in many cases, the robbers already know where the athletes hide their valuables, making the catch much easier.
The NFL and NBA have known this for a long time
This is not the first time we hear about thieves. In November, the NFL and NBA sent memos to their players informing them of the crime syndicate and urging them to invest in security costs.
Criminals target athletes when they are away from sports and other team events. Athletes’ schedules are very well known, making them easier to target than other celebrities.
The most famous of these criminals was Burrow. His house was attacked on Dec. 10, while the Bengals play the Dallas Cowboys. According to reports, publicist Olivia Ponton, who was staying at Burrow’s at the time, returned to find the windows broken. Ponton called the police and informed them of the crime.
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Are these criminals violent?
It doesn’t seem that way. According to the FBI report, some of these robberies occurred while others were at homes. No violence occurred. However, the FBI also says the best course of action is to “seek law enforcement assistance and avoid dealing with criminals, as they may be armed or use violence when confronted.”
Criminals often try to target athletes when they know the homeowners aren’t there, probably trying to avoid confrontation altogether.
This article first appeared in USA TODAY: FBI warns pro athletes about targeted hacking
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