KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – The burglaries of the homes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and now Linval Joseph have been linked to a South American crime syndicate and have spurred a security alert from the NFL.

On Thursday, Nov. 21, NFL officials announced a security alert to team directors and the players union about organized and skilled criminals who target the homes of professional athletes. This includes the recent burglaries of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Sources indicated that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation into the crime wave as international organized crime. The league, the NFL Players Association and team security officials have also monitored the spree.

The NFL and law enforcement officials believe the criminals are tied to a South American crime syndicate. The home of former Minnesota Vikings and current Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Linval Joseph was also hit over the weekend.

A source familiar with the station told NFL.com, “It’s legit, it’s a transnational crime ring, and over the last three weeks, they’ve focused on NBA and NFL players, and it’s all over the country.”

Multiple individuals with knowledge of the crimes reported that the criminals are nonconfrontational and do not burglarize homes while residents are inside. Instead, they use public records, conduct surveillance and wait until homes are empty – often during games. They quickly steal items like cash, jewelry, watches and handbags as they focus on master bedrooms and closets.

The alert offered several recommendations such as not posting in real-time on social media, installing security systems and not keeping valuables in plain sight.

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