Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles has revealed that three masked men broke into her Chicago home and drove away in her Porsche. The Olympic champion mentioned the incident almost in passing in a TikTok video – and it quickly became the latest in a long list of burglaries targeting high-profile athletes.
Key takeaways
- The break-in – three masked intruders entered the Chicago property and stole Biles' Porsche GTS.
- Car recovered – Biles confirmed the vehicle was found, though it is unclear when the theft happened or whether anyone has been arrested.
- A new guard dog – the incident was one of the reasons the couple got a Doberman.
- Part of a pattern – stars including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Luka Dončić have also been targeted in recent years.
A bombshell dropped in passing
Biles did not make a formal announcement. Instead, the news came out while she was talking to followers on TikTok about wanting to change cars. She explained that during the couple's last few months living in Chicago, three men wearing masks came to the house and took her Porsche GTS – before brushing it off as "another story" and offering to tell the full tale in a separate video if fans were interested.
"Feel like I need a new car because during our last few months in Chicago, three men in masks came to our house and stole my Porsche."
— Simone Biles, on TikTok
Many details remain unknown. Biles did not say exactly when the burglary took place, and there has been no public word on whether police have identified or arrested the intruders. What she did confirm is that the car was eventually recovered.
True to form, she also found some humour in the situation, joking that her life is so chaotic she could easily fill a reality TV show. According to Biles, the things that happen to her are "absolute insanity", and producers would barely need to plan anything – they could simply keep the cameras rolling.
From Chicago to Indianapolis
The Chicago house was the couple's base while Biles' husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens, played for the Chicago Bears in 2024 and 2025. Owens has since moved on in free agency and now plays for the Indianapolis Colts, meaning the family has relocated.
Earlier this month, Biles was on the sidelines at Lucas Oil Stadium as Owens made his Colts debut against the Baltimore Ravens. She kept up her tradition of wearing custom outfits featuring her husband's name and number – this time a royal blue dress made from his new Colts jerseys, with his name and number running down one side and across the chest.
The couple married in 2023 and have become one of the most followed pairings in American sport, with Biles regularly sharing glimpses of their life on social media. That openness is part of her appeal – but, as the wider picture shows, it is also something security experts increasingly warn athletes about.
A brighter note followed soon after: in another TikTok, Biles was filmed at a dealership in Houston unveiling a brand-new Lamborghini. The couple also added a Doberman to the household, with Biles admitting the break-in was one of the reasons behind the decision.
A wave of burglaries targeting athletes
Biles is far from the only star to have been targeted. Over the past few years, the homes of well-known athletes across the United States have become a favourite target for organised criminals, who know that players are often away from home for games at predictable times.
Other high-profile targets
- NFL – Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley suffered a break-in this July.
- NBA – Luka Dončić and Mike Conley Jr.
- Tennis – former US Open champion Juan Martín del Potro, in Argentina.
In May, police in Argentina arrested two Chilean nationals suspected of belonging to a transnational gang behind several of these burglaries. According to local authorities, the group targeted the homes of prominent sports figures in both the US and Argentina, including Mahomes, Kelce and Del Potro, as well as the NBA players Dončić and Conley.
The problem had become serious enough that in 2024 the NFL sent a security alert to all its teams and to the players' union after the Mahomes and Kelce break-ins.
How the gangs operate
According to the FBI, organised crime groups from South America have built a sophisticated method around athletes' public profiles. Much of their planning relies on information that is freely available online.
The FBI's warning signs
- Social media tracking – posts and public schedules reveal when athletes are travelling.
- Tech to beat security – tools to bypass alarms, jam wireless connections and disable devices.
- Hidden identities – security cameras are covered and faces concealed.
- High-value targets – jewellery, large sums of cash, trophies and medals.
For athletes, the timing is the biggest vulnerability. Game schedules are public months in advance, travel is often shared online in real time, and homes can be left empty for days during road trips. For someone like Biles, whose Olympic and world medals are among the most famous in sport, the stakes go beyond cars and cash – many of those items are simply irreplaceable.
Resilient as ever
Biles has built a career on overcoming setbacks, and her response to the break-in fits that pattern: calm, candid and even light-hearted. Rather than dwell on the ordeal, she has moved house, added a four-legged guardian and promised fans the full story when she is ready to tell it.
Whether that "story time" video arrives soon or not, her experience is another reminder that fame and success bring risks away from the arena too – and that the sporting world's security concerns are far from resolved.
The bottom line
Biles got her Porsche back and has kept her sense of humour, but the break-in underlines a serious issue. With organised gangs using social media to track star athletes, the NFL's 2024 warning looks more relevant than ever – and Biles' family has now joined a growing list of victims.
