A disturbing trend has emerged across the NBA in recent months. We are seeing a rising number of high-profile athletes becoming victims of home or property robberies. One of the most widely discussed incidents involved Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP of the Oklahoma City Thunder. His home in the upscale Nichols Hills neighborhood was reportedly broken into while he was on the court late last month.

Police responded to the burglary, but the suspects had already fled the scene by the time authorities arrived. The case highlighted how vulnerable athletes can be when their schedules are public, and their homes are left unoccupied, but are they safe outside?

Adding to that alarming pattern is news that Josh Hart has become a victim of robbery. Not at his home, but during a stay at a luxury hotel in Manhattan. According to police and multiple reports, Hart, 30, dropped off his duffle bag inside The Dominick Hotel on Spring Street near Varick Street in SoHo at around 12:30 p.m. on September 5.

When he returned roughly an hour later, the case containing his belongings was missing from inside his bag. With a total estimated value of $185,000, the stolen case contained three luxury watches and a bracelet. As posted by the Breaking911 on X:

‘New York Knicks star Josh Hart robbed of $185,000 worth of watches and jewelry from his hotel room at The Dominick in SoHo on Sept. 5, police say. Hart left his duffle bag in the room around 12:30 p.m., and when he returned an hour later, the case containing three watches and a bracelet was missing. No arrests have been made, and no suspect description is available.’

Currently the Knicks sit at 11-6 overall, placing them 2nd in the Atlantic Division and 4th in the Eastern Conference. They will face the Bucks on November 28. This season, Josh Hart has remained a dependable glue-guy for New York, averaging 9.7 points per game.

A recent incident has also cast a shadow before the news of this robbery broke out. During a loose-ball scramble in the Knicks’ 133-121 loss to the Orlando Magic on November 22, 2025, Hart was called for a technical foul. His right hand made contact with Jalen Suggs’ neck, which looked like he grabbed Suggs by his neck.

Hart later described it as unintentional chaos in the heat of competition. Now coming back to the investigation, nothing substantial has been revealed by NYPD so far. 

What makes this incident even more intriguing is its setting. The Dominick Hotel is a 46-story, 391-unit luxury property situated at the intersection of SoHo, TriBeCa, and the West Village, with a long-standing reputation for glamour.

In a building featuring floor-to-ceiling city views, well-appointed guest suites, and rooftop amenities, how could a robbery of this magnitude occur seemingly unnoticed?

The fact that no arrests have been made and no suspects identified only underscores the significant security failures at multiple levels.

This revelation has not only intensified the ongoing conversation about player safety but has also sparked fans playfully questioning the logic of leaving a luxury watch collection unattended.

Fans’ take on Josh Hart’s hotel‑heist shock

One comment perfectly captured the tone: “Who would be stu— enough to bring that with them, and, don’t hotel rooms have safes? I guess these guys don’t get paid for brains.” The fan was poking fun at the fact that Hart had left a duffel bag containing $185,000 worth of watches and a bracelet in his hotel room, rather than securing them in a safe or using the hotel’s security protocols.

Ideally, a 5-star hotel would provide safety assistance for all guests, especially those who are celebrities or athletes, such as a basketball star. 

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Many even started immediately questioning why Josh Hart needed to stay at a hotel during the off-season. Even the pre-season had not started in September.

Not a road trip or away game in sight, so it seemed odd he would bother booking a room in Manhattan at that time. One fan commented, “Why does he need a hotel room when it wasn’t an away game?” This only fueled speculation and skepticism among fans about unnecessary risk. For fans, the fact that Hart chose to stay implies a lack of caution.

Another wave of comments made things even darker. Some fans voiced suspicion that this could be a case of possible insurance fraud. Going to the extent of raising eyebrows over the authenticity of the claim.

One wrote along the lines of: “Call me suspicious, but I’d definitely start looking into insurance fraud on some of these athletes’ claims of lost or stolen jewelry.” Another  joined in with a harsh critique: “Absurd move to bring that to a hotel room when you live in NYC.” 

Perhaps the most blunt internet take was the sheer disbelief. Some can’t fathom why Josh Hart was traveling around with three different luxury watches and a bracelet, all kept in a watch case.

One comment simply wrote, “Why the f— are you traveling with three different watches?” Given the prevalence of theft and burglary in major urban centers, this seemed like a questionable move.

According to the FBI, a break-in occurs every 26 seconds in the US. But in NYC, the burglary rate is relatively low, with 162.5 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants. So even for wealthy individuals, this was a glaring lack of foresight.

A similar but more moral-toned reaction emerged, with a fan saying, “No man should ever have $185,000 worth of jewelry. And especially you don’t need to travel with it. SMH.”

For many fans, the outrage was about flaunting wealth. Why carry such expensive items around? If you don’t need them, then don’t bring them.