Evgeni Malkin is the latest star athlete to have their home targeted and burglarized while their team played a game.
According to a report from KDKA, Pittsburgh’s CBS station, Malkin’s Sewickley Heights home was broken into last Saturday while his Pittsburgh Penguins played against the Ottawa Senators. Among the missing items are the three Stanley Cup rings he won with the Penguins in 2009, 2016, and 2017.
Malkin did not play against the Senators due to an upper-body injury but was evidently in attendance to watch the game at PPG Paints Arena. He made his return from injury against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.
KDKA’s Jennifer Borrasso reports that the burglars made entry into Malkin’s home by kicking in the back door. Unfortunately, the house’s alarm system and cameras were not functioning.
Borrasso adds that the 911 call reporting the burglary came hours after Pittsburgh’s game against the Senators, indicating that neither Malkin’s wife, Anna Kasterova, nor the couple’s son, Nikita, were home at the time of the crime.
“Allegheny County Police have confirmed that they are investigating a burglary in that area with a spokesperson saying they’re looking to speak with anyone who might have any information,” Borrasso writes.
The Penguins confirmed the break-in when asked for a comment by WPXI’s Jenna Harner.
“Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin’s home was burglarized this past weekend,” the statement reads. “Details of the situation will not be made public as this is an ongoing investigation. We are working closely with local authorities and team security. Malkin has requested that his privacy be respected during this time and we will have no further comment on the matter.”
In recent years, targeted break-ins of athletes’ homes while they’re away have become more common. Some of the more highly publicized break-ins have involved NFL superstars Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow, as well as five-time NBA All-Star Luka Doncic.
Per a CNN report released just hours before Malkin’s house was broken into, the FBI has gotten involved in investigating the crimes as the “sophisticated home burglaries [are] thought to be emanating from international criminals.” The FBI has sent a bulletin to all of the major professional sports leagues in the country warning of the uptick in targeted crimes.
“These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and cash,” the FBI bulletin, obtained by CNN, reads. “Between September and November 2024, organized theft groups allegedly burglarized the homes of at least nine professional athletes and targeted entry points including glass rear doors, windows, and second-story doors.”
Additionally, the FBI says the perpetrators conduct advanced recon prior to committing the thefts, even posing as delivery drivers or joggers in the neighborhood to conduct surveillance. They then use knowledge obtained via social media and team schedules to break into homes when no one is present.
Update (1/16): Malkin’s rings were located inside his residence by the Allegheny County PD.
#Update: County Police have learned Evgeni Malkin’s Stanley Cup Championship rings have been located inside his residence. This remains an active investigation, and we continue to ask anyone with information to contact the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. https://t.co/oXYnyk8v2z
— Allegheny County PD (@AlleghenyCoPD) January 17, 2025
