Three Stanley Cup rings — feared stolen from Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin — were found inside his home, officials said Thursday, as police continue to investigate this latest burglary of a high-profile professional athlete.
Malkin returned to his house on Blackburn Road in the Pittsburgh suburb of Sewickley Heights on Saturday night "to find his home was burglarized," Allegheny County police said in a statement.
A "preliminary information indicates Malkin’s three Stanley Cup Championship rings were taken from the residence," police initially said on Wednesday.
But then on Thursday, police updated their report to say "Malkin’s Stanley Cup Championship rings have been located inside his residence" and that this break-in "remains an active investigation."
Malkin, 38, has 506 goals in his storied career, good for 45th on the all-time NHL list.
The Penguins have hoisted the Stanley Cup three times since Malkin arrived in Pittsburgh in fall 2006.
The Penguins played in consecutive games over the weekend at PPG Paints Arena, losing 5-0 to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday before they lost 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
“We are working closely with local authorities and team security,” the Penguins said in a statement. “Malkin has requested that his privacy be respected during this time and we will have no further comment on the matter.”
In recent months, burglars have hit the homes of football stars Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow and basketball standouts Bobby Portis and Luka Dončić.
Police said they haven't found any connections to those other high-profile thefts.
"County Police are in contact with impacted law enforcement agencies, and at this time, detectives have not received any information indicating this incident is tied to any of the reported organizations targeting professional athletes across the country," Allegheny County police said. "However, this remains an active investigation."
The NBA and the NFL have formally warned their athletes to protect their homes against highly skilled burglars who know exactly when they will not be home because of their game schedules.
The NBA memo, citing FBI intelligence, specifically linked the recent break-ins to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that target “professional athletes and other high-net-worth individuals.”
