Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez has been robbed of his $3 million in jewelry and goods from homes in Seattle, Bellevue and surrounding areas in Washington state.
Reports say he is one of the 123 people targeted in a burglary ring with the Police arresting three suspects on Wednesday after a nine-month investigation led them to a house in West Seattle where they recovered $500,000 worth of stolen items, according to the Seattle Times,
Hernandez lost more than $1.5 million after the burglars broke into his home in November, including a diamond watch engraved with his nickname, “King Felix,” which the police found one suspect wearing upon arrest.
Oddly, a 2000 Yankees World Series ring was also taken from the Mariners ace and recovered in the suspects’ stash. The iconic item was later reportedly revealed to be one of thousands of replicas the Yankees handed out during a game Hernandez started for the Mariners in 2015, according to CBS Sports.
The burglary ring was labeled the “Rock Smash Crew” because of the burglars’ tendency to “break a rear window or sliding door with a rock or other object, and then steal jewelry, purses, cash, and firearms,” according to the police statement. The group targeted high-end homes and used the money from the stolen items mainly on luxury meals, strip clubs and travel.
“Crime doesn’t have borders,” Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole said. “Thanks to a collaborative partnership between our law enforcement agencies, the suspects responsible for these numerous burglaries were caught arrested and will be held accountable.”
Hernandez was not the only professional athlete revealed this week to be a target of a burglary ring. The Philadelphia home of Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is one of many the police are investigating as they attempt to recover millions of dollars in jewelry stolen from across the Delaware Valley.