Thieves steal $40,000 worth of belongings and car from 2 Central Florida professional athletes

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - Two Central Florida professional athletes have found themselves the victims of thieves, and they're beginning to wonder if they're being targeted.

Paralympian and adaptive athlete John Edward Heath came home to a ransacked garage after training in Texas for several weeks.

"I woke up one morning and was getting ready to go to the gym, half asleep at like five in the morning, all my stuff was gone," he said.

He believes $40,000 worth of belongings were taken, including a shoe collection and firearms belonging to a late friend of his.

"I'm not really concerned about the shoes. My best friend is no longer here. The firearms were his. His family gave them to me, and they've just traveled [with me] the last couple of years," Heath said.

The burglary happened back in April at the Advenir at Castle Hill apartments in Clermont. Initially, the former Marine didn’t think too much of it, until he got a text Wednesday from teammate and Olympian, Kenny Bednarek.

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"His car got stolen," he said.

Surveillance video shared with FOX 35 shows a thief stealing the Silver medalist’s car outside a home in unincorporated Lake County while someone else in another car watched.

"We're out here training for the Olympic Games next year. We don't mess with anyone. And then all of a sudden, now his vehicle [was] stolen, and then all of my personal belongings were stolen," Heath said.

Clermont Police told FOX 35 they don't have any indication right now thieves are targeting athletes like Heath and Bednarek, but Heath thinks otherwise.

"I think when it comes to my situation and Kenny’s situation, I don't think that's a coincidence," he said. "Two identical people in the same circle? It's got to be orchestrated."

Bednarek was not available for an interview Thursday but told FOX 35 his vehicle was found in Clearwater, near the Tampa area. As for Heath's belongings, there is still no sight of them, but police are searching for a vehicle of interest in the burglary. If you have any information, give Clermont police a call.