The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries at homes owned by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
In a memo the NBA sent to its team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the league revealed that the FBI has linked a number of burglaries to “transnational South American theft groups” that were “allegedly highly organized, sophisticated rings are’. which include advanced techniques and technologies including pre-surveillance, drones and signal jamming devices.”
Conley’s home was burglarized on September 15 while he was at a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was taken, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was burglarized on Nov. 2 and has offered a $40,000 reward for information about the incident. According to law enforcement reports, Mahomes and Kelce’s homes were burglarized within days of each other last month, and the NFL issued a similar warning to its teams this week.
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The NBA memo, which relays information from the FBI, states that the theft rings “primarily target cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches and luxury bags.”
The NBA, which has also directed team security personnel, has recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and use them when they leave the house, keep valuables in locked and secured safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “using protective guard services” during extended trips away from home and even suggested having dogs help protect the home.
“It’s obviously frustrating and disappointing, but I can’t go into too many details because the investigation is ongoing,” Mahomes said recently. ‘But of course you don’t want anything to happen to anyone, but of course yourself.’
One of the burglaries involving the Chiefs players occurred on game day – October 7 – and Portis was also playing a game when his house was robbed.
“They took most of my valuables,” Portis said.
