Four Chileans have been arrested in connection with a series of burglaries that include the home of Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow.
The four suspects were arrested following “an ongoing investigation into multi-million dollar home burglaries in multiple states,” according to WLWT-TV, citing court documents.
Sergio Cabello, Bastian Morales, Jordan Sanchez and Alexander Chavez were arrested in Clark County after being stopped by the Ohio State Highway Patrol on Jan. 10, records show.
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, #9, celebrates after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
“All four men were identified as being in the country illegally or overstaying their authorization,” the arrest report states, as all of the men provided false identification.
As for Burrow, court documents add that authorities found “an old LSU shirt and a Bengals hat, believed to have been stolen during the Dec. 9, 2024, burglary in Hamilton County, Ohio,” where the Burrow house.
A search of the vehicle the suspects were in also discovered “two Husky automatic pointing tools wrapped in a cloth napkin.” The tool was used by the South American Theft Group, according to authorities.
JOE BURROW breaks silence on home burglary, says ‘lack of privacy’ is ‘difficult…to deal with’
The four suspects were charged with engaging in corrupt activities, participating in a criminal gang, possession of criminal tools and obstructing official activities.
Burrow’s home was burglarized while he was in Dallas against the Cowboys on “Monday Night Football” on Dec. 9. Police were called to Burrow’s home by Olivia Ponton, a model and social media influencer who was identified as Burrow’s employee in the incident report.
Ponton and her mother, Diane Ponton, called 911 because the former was home during the break-in.
“Someone is trying to break into the house right now,” Diane Ponton is heard saying in the recorded 911 call. “My daughter is over there. That’s the house by Joe Burrow. She lives there. He goes to the football game. She wonders what she should do, if she should hide or if she should go out.”
Burrow discussed the break-in days after its appearance at a press briefing, where he highlighted the difficulty of living a life where one’s personal information is in the public eye.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, #9, throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. (Tim Heitman-Imagn Images)
“So obviously everyone has heard what happened. I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one. And there’s already way more than I would like and I want to share, so that’s all I have to say,” Burrow began.
“We live a public life, and one of my least favorite parts is the lack of privacy. And it’s been difficult for me to manage my whole career. I’m still learning. But I understand that it “It’s the life we choose. It doesn’t make things any easier to deal with.”
The NFL issued a memo earlier this year urging players to be on alert after homes were hit, which included Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported at the time that the FBI was investigating the crime spree, “believed to be linked to a South American crime syndicate.”
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, No. 9, looks on from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
In the memo, the league urges players to take precautions, including installing home security systems. They were also encouraged not to post images of expensive items or live updates of their whereabouts on social media.
