CLEVELAND, Ohio — The list of professional athletes to have their homes burglarized continues to grow.
Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley. Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis. Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Over the weekend, a new name was added to the victim list: Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. While he was playing against Baltimore on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field, authorities say masked thieves broke into his suburban Cleveland home and took more than $200,000 worth of items.
In a statement, Medina County sheriff’s deputies said thieves entered the home at 6:46 p.m. and left at 6:58 p.m., right around the time the Browns game against the Baltimore Ravens ended. Sanders played the second half, going 4 for 16 for 47 yards as the Browns lost 23-16. The thieves made off with “several high-value items,” police said.
That most recent break-in hit a little too close to home.
“It’s just unfortunate,” Cavs star Donovan Mitchell told cleveland.com following a 118-106 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
“Our lives are so publicized that we’re targets. Gotta find ways to make sure you’re always secure in any way possible. Need to have security measures in place. That’s awful about Shedeur.”
In each robbery case involving a high-profile athlete over the last year, there has been a different level of motivation. A widespread South American theft group was tied to multiple robberies.
At this time, local police do not suspect a gang or juveniles being involved in the Sanders burglary.
“Bad things are going to happen in this world,” said Cavs reserve Lonzo Ball. “It’s just how it is. Obviously, where you live has something to do with it. Security, you could try to amp it up.
“But at the end of the day, I do think that we are targets. I mean, people are always putting our business online. It’s always news for the public, so it’s always a possibility of it happening. I got dogs at my house. I got some security. Just hope for the best.”
Every year NBA players have meetings with security officials, both in the league and with their respective teams. In those meetings, they discuss the potential for break-ins while also sharing ideas of how players can take extra precautions and what options are available so everyone can feel safe and protected.
But awareness has been heightened following the news of Sanders’ house being burglarized.
“You see that kind of stuff happening and it’s always in the back of your mind,” said Cavs forward Dean Wade. “It sucks that we have to worry about it. But I think for the most part, with the right security system and the right people around you, it will be alright. I’ve got great neighbors so that helps a lot.
“And unless they want baby clothes, I don’t know what else they would go in there to steal.”
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