MIAMI — The NBA is urging its players to take extra precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries at homes owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. and his 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 had linked some of the burglaries to “transnational South American theft groups” believed to be “sophisticated and well-organized networks”. which incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones and signal jamming devices.
Conley’s home was broken into Sept. 15 while he attended a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was stolen, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was burglarized on Nov. 2 and offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the incident. The homes of Mahomes and Kelce were burglarized within days of each other last month, according to law enforcement reports, and the NFL issued a similar warning memo to its teams this week.
The NBA memo, relaying information from the FBI, specifies that the theft networks “focus primarily on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches and luxury bags.” .
The NBA, which also gave advice to team security personnel, recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and use them every time they leave the house, keep their valuables in locked, secure safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “use protective guard services” during long trips from home, and have even suggested that Dogs help protect the home.
“It’s obviously frustrating, disappointing, but I can’t go into detail because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes said recently. “But, obviously, something you don’t want to happen to anyone, but obviously to yourself.”
One of the break-ins involving Chiefs players happened on a game day — Oct. 7 — and Portis was also playing in a game when his home was burglarized.
“They took most of my most valuable possessions,” Portis said.
