A Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy suspected of stealing a set of autographed basketballs earlier this month is being investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Sheriff Rick Trapp confirmed Thursday that he had asked the KBI to investigate the alleged theft from a rural Lawrence home. He said he couldn’t identify the deputy or give any more details of the allegations because the matter remained under investigation.

The basketballs — one signed by Wilt Chamberlain, one by members of Kansas University’s 1988 men’s national championship team and another signed by the 1997-98 KU men’s team — were taken between the morning and early evening of Oct. 2 from a home in the 1000 section of East 1400 Road south of Lawrence. Sheriff’s officials have said they thought the home was left unlocked the day of the theft.

Trapp said he later received information that caused him to ask for the KBI investigation. One of the KBI’s functions is to look into criminal allegations against other Kansas law enforcement agencies.

“They’re not required to call us, but most of them do,” said Kyle Smith, a KBI spokesman.

The Sheriff’s Office also plans to conduct an internal investigation, Trapp said. He declined to comment on the deputy’s employment status, citing county personnel policies. Neither would Trapp comment on whether the deputy was thought to have been on duty at the time of the alleged incident.

Smith wouldn’t go into details of the case Thursday — saying only that it involved allegations of theft and burglary, and that he didn’t know when the investigation would be finished.

“With a situation like this, with high public interest and high public trust, we try to expedite them, but it’s hard to predict,” he said.

The KBI has conducted about five such investigations statewide this year, Smith said.

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“A lot of times there are unfounded allegations and you can’t prove it,” he said. “It’s important to go into this — like any investigation — with an open mind.”

The basketballs’ owners have declined comment on the matter, except to say they don’t think now is the appropriate time to discuss it.