NHL Star Evgeni Malkin Joins List Of Athletes Who Are Burglary Victims

The list of burglary victims continues to grow, with Pittsburgh Penguins player Evgeni Malkin becoming the latest celebrity athlete to be robbed.

The NHL superstar lost his prized belongings days earlier after thieves broke into his home and escaped without triggering any alarms. The shocking situation comes over a week after the FBI's warning to pro athletes.

The feds believed these crimes were carried out by groups of organized thieves that were targeting celebrity homes. So far, stars like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Luka Doncic, and more have had their homes ransacked by these suspects who continue to evade the law.

The unfortunate incident occurred on January 11 while Malkin's Pittsburgh Penguins team played against the Ottawa Senators at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. It was unclear how the burglars broke into the athlete's home; however, they might have done something to his security system.

According to reports, Malkin's home security system was down during the break-in. Without functioning alarms to alert authorities about the burglary, the culprits successfully stole three of the NHL star's Stanley Cup rings.

A spokesperson for the Allegheny County Police Department revealed that an investigation into the incident had begun. The department urged anyone with information about the robbery to call its tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS.

As for Malkin's team, the Pittsburgh Penguins addressed the situation in a statement on Tuesday, January 14. They noted they were "working closely with local authorities and team security" to try to ID some suspects, per TMZ.

Malkin's team did not share additional information about the robbery but stressed the athlete's desire for privacy amid the investigation. The incident comes over a week after The Blast reported the FBI had issued a warning to pro athletes about groups of organized thieves targeting their homes.

Their statement came days after these thieves raided NBA star Luka Doncic's home. The feds believed the criminal gangs targeted the homes of athletes whenever they were on the road or at games.

However, they warned A-listers to be wary because the culprits had no problem hatching their scheme in the homeowners' presence.

"These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and cash. While many burglaries occur while homes are unoccupied, some burglaries occur while residents are home," the FBI officials said.

The feds implored athletes never to confront burglars in person but to seek help from law enforcers. They noted these criminals may be armed and turn dangerous when provoked. As for who they were, authorities believed the thieves originated from South American crime groups.

These gangs reportedly used "preparation tactics" to get in and out of homes with stolen goods before they could be caught. "Organized theft groups bypass alarm systems, use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras, and obfuscate their identities," the feds claimed.

On that note, they advised athletes to beef up their home security systems and refrain from sharing their location whenever they were not at home on social media. The victim list from 2024 included stars like Joe Burrow, Bobby Portis Jr., and Tyler Seguin.

Before the FBI warned pro athletes, Mahomes had taken necessary steps to ensure his family's safety after a burglary incident. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback's home was invaded last October, which frustrated him deeply.

"Obviously, it's frustrating. It's disappointing. It's something you don't want to happen to anyone, but especially to yourself," Mahomes lamented during a press conference. It was unclear if he and his family had been present when the burglary occurred, but he noted more details would be revealed later.

As for his home's security, sources claimed he had heightened his property's protection measures to ensure another unfortunate incident would not occur. The robbery also affected his gated community, which beefed up its defense system to assure residents of their safety.

The Los Angeles area has been plagued by numerous burglaries since 2024, with The Blast noting Reggie Bush narrowly escaped joining the victim list. The incident occurred last September when three men, all dressed in black, tried to access his home.

According to the LAPD, someone heard a window shattering, which alerted them to the intruders. Fortunately, the would-be burglars fled instead of confronting the home's residents and could not steal anything.

Bush confirmed the attempted break-in briefly, assuring the public of his family's safety. The ordeal came months after the former athlete reclaimed his prized Heisman Trophy. He lost the honor in 2010 after an NCAA investigation uncovered he had accepted impermissible benefits while at USC.

Will more celebrities become victims of burglaries before these criminals are caught?