A sophisticated crime ring of illegal immigrants targeting professional athletes has struck again, with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s fiancée and Mavericks star Luka Doncic becoming the latest victims in a string of high-profile burglaries.
Thieves stole $40,000 worth of designer handbags and other items from Sarah Ramos’s car on December 26 while she attended a Pilates class.
The next day, burglars took $30,000 in valuables from Doncic’s home after climbing through his bedroom window.
“These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and cash,” the FBI wrote in a December 30 bulletin, warning that criminals “use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras, and obfuscate their identities.”
Security expert Mike Barbieri told WDAF-TV: “This is a sophisticated operation, it’s not some guy that’s going down to the local pawn shop. It doesn’t surprise me at all that this crime spree that is going across the entire country is designed by some very sophisticated people in somewhat of a cartel.”
The burglaries, believed linked to South American crime syndicates and carried out by illegal immigrants loyal to these gangs, have targeted at least nine athletes since September, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow.
Criminals conduct extensive surveillance using professional athletes social media and public information to plan their attacks.
“If you have a particular individual that’s an athlete, a wealthy CEO, you can find out just about anything you need to find out about these people online,” Barbieri said.
The FBI warns some burglaries occur while residents are home, advising victims to “seek law enforcement help and avoid engaging with criminals, as they may be armed or use violence if confronted.”
The NFL has alerted team security directors and the players’ union, warning players to avoid real-time social media posts and keep valuables secured. Dallas police are investigating both recent incidents.