Sabrina Ionescu and her husband, NFL offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu, are the latest names added to a growing and troubling list of professional athletes targeted by home burglaries. Their Los Angeles residence was broken into recently, with thieves making off with more than $60,000 worth of handbags. The couple wasn’t home at the time of the incident.
According to authorities, the break-in occurred around 8 p.m. when a security alarm was triggered by the sound of breaking glass. Two masked individuals reportedly shattered a sliding glass window at the rear of the home to gain entry.
After grabbing the high-end handbags, the suspects fled the scene by car. Their direction of travel remains unknown, and as of now, no arrests have been made.
The investigation is ongoing.
Unfortunately, Ionescu and Grasu are far from alone in experiencing this kind of violation. Over the past year, a number of high-profile athletes have seen their homes targeted, often while they were away for games or public appearances. Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, former Mavericks guard Luka Dončić, and Thunder standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have all dealt with similar situations.
Just last month, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders had his home burglarized while he was making his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens - a moment that should’ve been all about football, not personal loss.
This isn’t just a string of bad luck. It’s part of a larger, organized pattern.
Last December, the FBI issued a warning to professional sports leagues, alerting them to coordinated efforts by criminal networks specifically targeting athletes. That warning proved prescient.
In February, seven Chilean nationals were charged in Florida in connection with a wave of “crime tourism” burglaries that hit the homes of several pro athletes - including Mahomes, Kelce, and Burrow - between October and December.
The pattern is clear: athletes are being watched, targeted, and hit while they’re out doing their jobs - often in the public eye. These aren’t random crimes; they’re calculated, coordinated, and increasingly common.
For Ionescu and Grasu, the break-in is a personal violation, but it also underscores a broader concern across professional sports. As athletes’ public profiles grow and their schedules become more accessible through media and social platforms, the need for enhanced home security becomes more than just a precaution - it’s a necessity.
This is a wake-up call not just for athletes, but for the leagues and organizations that support them. The spotlight that comes with stardom shouldn’t come at the cost of safety.