Can the FBI Stop Top US Athletes from Getting Burgled?
After the likes of Luka Dončić, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes have been burgled in recent months, the FBI is stepping in to help protect them from home invasions.
Luca Dončić is making headlines for the most baffling trade in modern NBA history. But in December, he made the news for the wrong reason.
On December 27, 2024, burglars broke into his Dallas home, smashing the window of the master bedroom and stealing about $30,000 worth of jewelry. Thankfully, nobody was home.
He isn’t alone. In October, Kansas City Chiefs standouts Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes fell victim to a similar crime spree. Kelce reportedly lost around $100,000 worth of jewelry and personal keepsakes—including the jersey he donned during his first Super Bowl. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was also targeted, as were NBA stars Mike Conley Jr. of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks.
So what is being done about it?
The FBI soon stepped in, issuing a stark warning to American sports leagues. According to the Bureau, “between September and November 2024, organized theft groups allegedly burglarized the homes of at least nine professional athletes, targeting points of entry like glass rear doors, windows, and second-story balconies.”
These aren’t your average, smash-and-grab crooks. Surveillance data, social media posts, and game-day schedules helped criminals figure out exactly when star athletes would be away. Their tech toolkits included drones, signal jammers, GPS devices, lawn cameras, and even thermal imaging. They sometimes posed as home-delivery drivers, groundskeepers, or joggers to check if targets were home according to an NFL advisory.
In late January, a major breakthrough arrived: four Chilean nationals were arrested in connection with the burglary at Joe Burrow’s house in Hamilton County, Ohio. While Chile isn’t typically perceived as a top exporter of organized crime, Chilean gangs have orchestrated upscale heists around the globe for years.
But can the FBI’s warning really make a difference?
Exact statistics are hard to pin down, but James Hamilton, founder of Hamilton Security Group, has noticed a rise in athlete-targeted thefts over the past year. “There were more last year than what I remember in the past,” he told the Sports and Crime Briefing.
Despite the uptick, Hamilton says most high-profile clients grasp the risks and take steps to protect themselves. “These are property crimes, and the majority of the items can be replaced. The concern is when someone is actually home during the burglary and the situation escalates,” he explains.
It’s a scenario that has already played out repeatedly in Europe. On December 27, the family of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish was home when intruders broke in. Fortunately, no one was harmed. Italian football icon Roberto Baggio wasn’t as lucky: in June 2024, he was struck in the face with a gun during a robbery and locked in a room along with his family. And in Paris, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his partner were tied up while thieves made off with over half a million dollars in valuables.
Back in the States, Travis Kelce, and his partner, Taylor Swift, are determined never to experience that kind of terror again. After his burglary, he reportedly invested $40,000 in a state-of-the-art security system, including high-definition cameras, motion detectors, specialized lighting, and an advanced alarm network. He also welcomed two guard dogs—a German Shepherd and an Anatolian Shepherd—into his home for extra peace of mind.
So should all sports stars be worried? Possibly. But Hamilton believes the problem will get better. “These things are cyclical, the athletes will adjust and the criminals will move to another type of target,” he said.