Are international thieves exploiting tourist visas to target pro-athletes' homes?

North America’s top professional sports leagues have issued warnings to their players about a growing threat from high-tech, organized burglary rings, whose tools of choice are passports, cutting-edge technology and a 90-day calendar.

North America’s top professional sports leagues have issued warnings to their players about a growing threat from high-tech, organized burglary rings, whose tools of choice are passports, cutting-edge technology and a 90-day calendar.

The NBA memo, citing FBI intelligence, specifically linked the crimes to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that target “professional athletes and other high-net-worth individuals.” These groups are known for using “advanced techniques” such as pre-surveillance, drones, signal-jamming devices and other cutting-edge technology. The NFL highlighted the risks posed by what it called “organized and skilled groups” of burglars targeting wealthy athletes.

While the warnings did not name victims, they were issued after the homes of athletes including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis were recently burglarized. The tactics described in the memos bear a striking resemblance to a wave of break-ins targeting affluent residents in Southern California.

Federal and local officials from Los Angeles and Orange County have reported a spike in break-ins by what they call “burglary tourists” — criminals from Central and South America who legally enter the U.S. on 90-day tourist visas under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). But instead of packing swimsuits and sunscreen, police said these individuals are armed with disguises, video equipment, trail cameras and Wi-Fi jammers. They target wealthy neighborhoods and gated communities before moving on to avoid detection.

These “burglary tourists” have been at work for at least five years, but their operations have intensified in recent times as information about addresses and even pictures of properties have become increasingly accessible.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/south-american-crime-ring-burglaries-nba-nfl-rcna181414

---