A watch belonging to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was discovered in Providence by authorities investigating a string of home burglaries at professional athletes’ homes, sources told ABC News.
Kelce’s Leawood, Kansas mansion was burglarized last month while the NFL star was at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs’ “Monday Night Football” game against the Saints on Oct. 7.
According to police documents by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, $20,000 in cash was taken from Kelce’s home and his back door was damaged.
Police did not share that a watch was taken from Kelce’s home when the news was first reported.
Kelce’s home invasion took place a day after a separate burglary at Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ Belton, Mo. estate, which occurred just after midnight on Oct. 6.
Mahomes’ pregnant wife, Brittany Mahomes and their daughter Sterling, 3, and son Bronze, 1, were not home at the time of the break-in, according to ABC News.
Police believe a South American crime ring is behind both burglaries, Fox 4 in Kansas City reported on Tuesday.
The next day, the NFL sent a memo to teams alerting them of organized criminals increasingly targeting the homes of professional athletes while they are away.
It included recommendations for security measures, including telling athletes not to post on social media in real time.
The burglars are skilled in conducting research for homes they’re targeting — and sometimes posing as delivery men, maintenance workers or joggers to learn about residences, neighborhoods and security systems, according to an NFL memo obtained by ABC News.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the FBI is investigating the crime wave as international organized crime.
The burglars are targeting items such as cash, jewelry, watches and handbags, and focusing on master bedrooms and closets, Pelissero reported, adding that they will research social media accounts and players’ families posts to make sure no one is home.
Kelce has yet to address the burglary at his Kansas home, while Mahomes said the incident was “frustrating” and “disappointing.”
The Chiefs (9-1) face the Panthers (3-7) in North Carolina on Sunday.
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