Evgeni Malkin, a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins, reported that his Stanley Cup championship rings are now missing after his home was broken into in yet another high-profile professional athlete’s break-in.
The Penguins said in a statement on Tuesday that the theft occurred “this past weekend” and that specifics “of the situation will not be made public as this is an ongoing investigation,”
With 506 goals in his illustrious career, the 38-year-old Malkin ranks 45th on the NHL all-time list. Since Malkin joined Pittsburgh in the fall of 2006, the Penguins have lifted the Stanley Cup three times.
Malkin told the New York Times on Tuesday that his championship rings were gone and that he wasn’t home when the break-in occurred.
“We are working closely with local authorities and team security,” the group stated. “Malkin has requested that his privacy be respected during this time and we will have no further comment on the matter.”
The Penguins lost 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday after losing 5-0 to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday in their back-to-back games at PPG Paints Arena.
Basketball players Bobby Portis and Luka Doncic, as well as football players Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow, all had their homes broken into in recent months.
Due to their playing schedules, the NBA and NFL have officially cautioned its sportsmen to secure their houses from highly experienced burglars who are aware of the precise times when athletes will be away from home.
Citing FBI intelligence, the NBA report expressly connected these recent break-ins to multinational South American Theft Groups that prey on high-net-worth persons, including professional sportsmen.