The NFL has issued a security warning to players about a criminal network targeting their homes.

Players have been urged to ramp up security and take care about what they post on social media.

It comes after the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burgled last month, while a property owned by Dallas Cowboys’ Linval Joseph was targeted last week.

An NFL security memo about the issue has been sent out to team security directors and the players’ union.

Reporting on the memo, the NFL website said it was understood the criminal organisation “use public records to find players’ addresses and conduct extensive surveillance”.

“Then, by tracking team schedules and the social media accounts of players and their families, they wait until homes are empty – often during games.”

Players have also been asked to make it look like someone is at home when they are out, by leaving lights or a television on, for example.

“I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes said when asked about the break in.

“But obviously something that you don’t want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself.”