The NBA has issued a warning to its players after multiple players from the NBA and NFL have been the victims of high-profile burglaries.
In a memo sent to team officials from the NBA, which was obtained by the Associated Press, the FBI has said that recent burglaries were connected to "transnational South American Theft Groups."
According to the FBI, the groups are "reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices."
The memo additionally said that the theft rings are "primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags."
"The FBI reported that, in most of the incidents, the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated. The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present."
This echoes the same warning sent earlier this week by the NFL.
"The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," the NFL memo said.
"It is important for players to maintain situational awareness, practice social media safety, and implement home security measures to reduce risk of becoming a target."
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So far, four well-known athletes have been directly affected by the thefts: two from the NBA and two from the NFL.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.'s home was broken into on Sept. 15 while he was attending a Minnesota Vikings game. Officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that jewelry was taken.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. had his home broken into on Nov. 2. He has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the robbery.
"They took most of my prized possessions," Portis said.
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In the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce's homes were broken into on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7, respectively, as they were preparing for their game against the New Orleans Saints.
"Obviously, it's frustrating, disappointing," Mahomes told reporters, per David K. Li and Andrew Blankstein of NBC News. "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing. But obviously it's something that you don't want to happen to, really, anybody but obviously yourself."
"I can't speak too much about the details of everything, just with the investigation going on," Mahomes continued. "But I'm sure at some point that will be talked about."
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