FBI Targets South American Theft Groups Behind High-Profile Athlete Burglaries

Sophisticated crime rings are accused of targeting professional athletes' homes during games, stealing luxury items and reselling them through black-market networks.

• The FBI is investigating South American Theft Groups (SATGs), which are accused of targeting high-profile athletes and celebrities in a series of luxury home burglaries across the United States.
• These groups reportedly use advanced techniques, including drones, signal-jamming devices, and pre-surveillance, to bypass security systems and identify vacant homes during games or public appearances.
• Recent victims include NFL stars Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow, as well as NBA players Mike Conley Jr. and Bobby Portis, with stolen items ranging from cash to designer goods and jewelry.
• Authorities have linked some stolen items to Manhattan's Diamond District pawnshops, where two individuals have been charged with reselling millions of dollars in stolen goods from multiple burglary crews.
• Federal indictments and arrests have been made, including three Chilean nationals charged with burglarizing Joe Burrow's home, but investigators believe these cases represent only part of a larger, ongoing criminal network.

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