SandyMaloneFoxborough, MA – Opportunistic burglars picked a time they were certain nobody would be home at the residence of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to pull a heist.
Gronkowski – better known as “Gronk” – was out of town to play in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis on Feb. 4 when his Foxborough home was broken into and burglarized. Police would not say if the actual break-in occurred on the big day, or at another time during Gronk’s trip.
“I think it’s kind of a tough combination, you know to have suffered this unfortunate loss, and then to get home and be a victim of this kind of crime which as I say really has kind of has a profound effect on everybody who is a victim of this crime. When your personal space is breached like that,” Foxborough Police Chief William Baker said during a media availability after police were called to the football player’s home on Monday night.
WFXT obtained a police audio recording in which a responding officer spoke of the break-in.
“… speak with the homeowner there who reports while he was on his trip his house was broke into,” the officer said. “Multiple safes … possible guns.”
Police confirmed that items were stolen from the home, but wouldn’t answer reporters’ questions about what exactly was taken, or address speculation about the several safes that were reportedly stolen, and firearms that may have been contained inside them.
“Whether you’re Rob Gronkowski or Bill Baker, being the victim of a residential property crime like that is unpleasant,” Chief Baker said. “So, out of respect for Mr. Gronkowski’s privacy, and because this is an active and dynamic criminal investigation we are not going to release any information right now about what was stolen or whether any suspects exist.”
The chief also refused to answer questions about whether there was a security system and security video footage captured of the burglary.
“We’re going to keep the details about this pretty close to the vest,” Chief Baker said.
“I can say there were no other reported burglaries during that time in that neighborhood,” the chief said, bolstering speculation that Gronk’s house was targeted during a timeframe when the professional football player’s absence could be confirmed on national television.
A neighbor said that they’d noticed something strange about Gronk’s house around the suspected time of the burglary.
“We went past the house on Sunday, about 12:30-1 p.m., and I happened to notice the gate was ajar, which is very unusual,” Tom Savino told WFXT. “You never see that gate ajar. So, as a joke, my son and I said, ‘Gee, maybe we should just call the police or something.’ Now I’m sort of sorry I didn’t.”
Gronk, and the rest of the New England Patriots, departed for Minneapolis on Jan. 29, and returned home to Boston around 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5.