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When Tom Brady's Stolen Super Bowl 2015 Jersey Was Recovered by FBI 1150 Miles Away in Another Country
Relive the sensational 2017 case of Tom Brady's stolen Super Bowl jersey, recovered by the FBI 1,150 miles away in Mexico after an international media member's brazen theft.
In 2017, the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl in an amazing comeback against the Atlanta Falcons. Tom Brady was the star player of the match leading his team to victory. After the big game, Brady put his jersey in a bag in the locker room. But then, the jersey went missing from the bag.
At first, Brady thought it was just lost and said "It's too bad, because that's a nice piece to keep as a memory." He hoped someone might find it and return it to him. Little did Brady know the jersey had actually been stolen and this was just the start of a huge case.
As the investigation went on, authorities realized Brady's jersey from the 2015 Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks had also been stolen! So now there were two of Brady's valuable Super Bowl jerseys that were missing.
What Actually Happened to Tom Brady’s Jersey
By looking at video footage, investigators saw a member of the media team entering the locker room after the big game. The man's name was Martin Mauricio Ortega who worked for a Mexican newspaper. The video showed Ortega taking Brady's jersey from his bag and walking out with it hidden in a plastic bag.
To find the thief, investigators had to look through over 20,000 credentials that allowed people access to areas like the locker room. After tons of work, they identified Ortega as the main suspect in stealing Brady's jerseys.
Authorities also determined that a Denver Broncos helmet from the previous year's Super Bowl, likely belonging to Von Miller, had been stolen too. And they believed Ortega had taken that helmet as well, after finding some clues that seemed to link it to Miller.
Just days before being identified as the suspect, Ortega had suddenly quit his job as a newspaper director in Mexico. His employer said Ortega claimed to be leaving for family health reasons, but they had no idea about his suspected involvement in the theft.
His publisher, Organización Editorial Mexicana (OEM), claimed no prior knowledge of Ortega's involvement, but the evidence was damning - he had executed a gridiron grand larceny for the ages.
The Infamous Tom Brady Jerseys Come Home
In March 2017, Houston police announced that Brady's two stolen jerseys from 2015 and 2017, as well as the Broncos helmet, had been found in Mexico. The FBI took possession of the items to verify they were the real stolen goods from the Patriots and Broncos.
Tom Brady released a statement saying: "I am happy my jerseys from the 2015 and 2017 Super Bowls have been recovered, and I want to thank all of the law enforcement agencies involved. I know they worked hard on this case -- and it is very much appreciated. Hopefully when I get the jerseys back I can make something very positive come from this experience."
After the jerseys and the helmet were authenticated as the stolen items, they were returned to the Patriots and Broncos organizations. Though the investigation crossed international borders, great teamwork between many law enforcement groups helped solve the bizarre caper.
While Ortega's motive remains unknown, Brady reacted with his usual positive attitude, hoping to move forward and "make something very positive" after getting his sentimental Super Bowl jerseys finally returned. As Brady had said earlier, "What can you do? I'll take the ring. That's good enough for me."
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