Since last fall, several professional athletes from Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce to Joe Burrow and Luka Dončić have had their homes broken into and tens of thousands of dollars in luxury goods stolen. The suspects in Burrow’s robbery were the first to be arrested, and officials have shared more information about the incident.
Jordan Francisco Quiroga Sanchez, Bastian Alejandro Orellana Morales, and Sergio Andres Ortega Cabello of Chile were all arrested last month in Ohio in connection to the Burrow burglary on Dec. 9. According to documents obtained by NBC News, the alleged thieves took a selfie with the goods, including Louis Vuitton bags and Gucci hats.
The FBI previously issued warnings to the NFL and NBA about the dangers of so-called South American theft groups (SATGs), pointing out that these incidents have been organized and well-planned operations. In Burrow’s case, his home security team was in the middle of a shift change at the front of the house while the suspects snuck in through the back.
“These preparation tactics enable theft groups to conduct burglaries in a short amount of time. Organized theft groups bypass alarm systems, use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras, and obfuscate their identities,” the agency said.
“The SATGs are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags,” NBA senior vice president and chief security officer Leon Newsome explained to league officials after the FBI’s warning.
Authorities continue to look into the Burrow case as well as the other athletes who have had their home burgled.
“Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the alleged tip of the iceberg of South American theft groups committing crimes throughout our district and elsewhere,” U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker said in a Department of Justice statement. “We owe it to the victims, whether they are or are not professional athletes, to follow the evidence into these alleged criminal networks and hold the law-breakers accountable.”
Leave a Reply