The National Football League issued a security warning to players about a criminal network that is targeting their homes. In the memo, the league is urging players to ramp up security and be cautious about what they post on social media.
This comes after the ones of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized last month, in addition to a property owned by Dallas Cowboys’ Lineal Joseph was targeted last week.
According to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the FBI is investigating the crime wave as international organized crime. The league, the NFL Players Association and team security forces also have been monitoring the crime spree, which is believed to be tied to a South American crime syndicate. At least one other current NFL player’s home was burglarized in the past week.
“It’s legit,” said one source familiar with the situation. “It’s a transnational crime ring, and over the last three weeks, they’ve focused on NBA and NFL players, and it’s all over the country.”
Last month, Mahomes and Kelce home were burglarized within 48 hours of each other, with Kelce’s home targeted while the Chiefs were playing the New Orleans Saints on “Monday Night Football” at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. No injuries occurred during either burglary and sources told Pelissero that the “perpetrators are nonconfrontational.”
