Burglaries Reported at Hotels in Turin

“Well-prepared” burglars have broken into guest rooms in several downtown Turin hotels in the last two days and made off with money, passports, computers and other belongings, officials said Tuesday.

Victims include American citizens and other visitors to Turin for the Winter Olympic Games. The burglars entered the rooms between 7 and 11 p.m. when the guests were away, at dinner or attending sporting events.

“These appear to be professional-type jobs; they appear to know who to go after, who had money,” said Benedict Duffy, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Rome, which is helping to coordinate security for the Games.

The culprits were able to move about easily inside the hotels, apparently without raising suspicion, Duffy said. Duffy knew of no case in which a victim was present in the room at the time of the theft.

Most of the hotels involved require guests to leave their keys at the front desk, which is typical in Europe. In some of the hotels, the area where each key hangs alongside its corresponding room number is visible to passersby.

Seven break-ins at five hotels were reported Monday night, and another spate of robberies the night before, according to a daily alert posted by U.S. State Department security officials. No forced entry was reported.

“These appear to be well-prepared” burglars, Duffy said.

Italian police could not immediately be reached for comment.

-- Tracy Wilkinson

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Goalie Dominik Hasek said there’s “very little chance” he’ll be able to play for Ottawa when the NHL resumes March 1 and isn’t sure when he’ll return from a groin injury that forced him to withdraw from the Olympics.

“Of course I’m worried, I’ll be honest,” he said.

Hasek, 41, was hurt in the first period of the Czech Republic’s opening game last week.

“But on the other hand, I want to do all the best to get on the ice as soon as possible, and I hope I can be in the same shape I was during the season,” he added. “But I have to admit, I am worried. It’s a difficult situation for me.”

Hasek underwent surgery to repair a serious groin injury before signing with the Senators as a free agent in the summer of 2004.

The concern is that Hasek might not be able to bounce back in time for the stretch run and the playoffs.

Hasek has been a big reason Ottawa is in first-place in the Northeast Division. He’s second in the league in goals-against average (2.09), fourth in save percentage (.925), tied for third in wins (28) and tied for second in shutouts (five).

Hasek was hurt while making what appeared to be a routine save against Germany.

He underwent an MRI exam with Czech team doctors and a second one in Ottawa on Tuesday morning.

“When I made a save I felt a really sharp pain and I knew right away that it’s bad,” he said.

Hasek walked without a limp into an Ottawa news conference. But the Senators, who return to practice today and play their first post-Olympic game a week later at Pittsburgh, can’t predict his return.

“I wish to be back on the ice against Pittsburgh, but, because of the way I feel right now ... I don’t think it’s possible, to be honest.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.