Greg Biffle’s House Robbed of $30,000 Less Than a Month After NASCAR Star, Wife and Kids Die in Plane Crash
Authorities in North Carolina responded to reports of the theft at the Biffle estate on January 8th
Police in North Carolina responded to reports of a burglary at the estate of Greg and Cristina Biffle on January 8th
Cash in the amount of $30,000 and a backpack were stolen, authorities said, while two guns and NASCAR memorabilia may also be among the items taken
The Biffles, their two children and three others were killed in a plane crash on December 18th
Thieves stole $30,000 in cash and a $30 backpack from the home of NASCAR champion Greg Biffle and his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle, three weeks after they were killed in a plane crash, authorities said.
The Burglary
According to a police report obtained by PEOPLE, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the Biffle estate on Doolie Road in Mooresville, N.C. on Thursday, January 8th at approximately 6:23 p.m., after Cristina’s mother Cathy Grossu alerted authorities about the crime, according to the police report.
Two guns and NASCAR memorabilia were also reported as possibly missing from the Biffle home, according to CBS affiliate WBTV.
No arrests have been made in the incident, as police continue to investigate the theft.
A representative with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional details.
The Tragic Plane Crash
The NASCAR driver, 55, and his wife, 35, died along with their five-year-old son Ryder, Greg’s 14-year-old daughter Emma and three others when their Cessna Citation 550 crashed while trying to return to Statesville Regional Airport on Thursday, December 18th.
Craig Wadsworth, 64 a well-known figure in NASCAR circles who once drove former race car driver Kenny Wallace’s motorhome was also aboard the plane, as was commercial airline pilot Dennis Dutton, 67, and his 20-year-old son Jack, who was studying aviation at Auburn University.
At an initial press conference on Friday, December 19th, officials said they had not been able to determine who was flying the plane. The accident happened while fog and heavy rain were present in the area, AccuWeather’s Dan DePodwin previously told PEOPLE in a statement.
Adding Insult to Tragedy
The burglary of the Biffle estate represents a particularly cruel violation criminals targeting the home of a family devastated by an unimaginable tragedy. Just three weeks after Greg and Cristina Biffle, along with their two young children, perished in a plane crash, thieves broke into their home and stole cash, personal items, and irreplaceable memorabilia.
The fact that Cristina’s mother Cathy Grossu discovered and reported the theft adds another layer of heartbreak. She’s already grieving the loss of her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren, and now must deal with the violation of their home and the theft of their possessions.
The Missing Items
The $30,000 in cash represents a substantial theft, though for a successful NASCAR driver, keeping that amount of cash at home wasn’t necessarily unusual. NASCAR drivers often deal in cash for various transactions related to their sport and business dealings.
The two guns reported as possibly missing raise safety concerns stolen firearms can end up in criminal hands and be used in future crimes. NASCAR memorabilia from Greg Biffle’s career would be both personally irreplaceable to the family and potentially valuable on the collectors’ market, making it an attractive target for thieves who knew the home belonged to a famous driver.
The $30 backpack, while relatively inexpensive, was likely taken to carry the stolen cash and other items, suggesting thieves came unprepared with containers for their loot.
Opportunistic Crime
Burglaries of homes belonging to deceased individuals are unfortunately common. Criminals often monitor obituaries and news reports to identify homes that are likely to be unoccupied and potentially full of valuable items as estates are being settled.
In the Biffle case, the high-profile nature of the plane crash which made national news—would have made it easy for criminals to know:
- The family was deceased
- The home was likely unoccupied
- There might be valuable NASCAR memorabilia inside
- The estate settlement process meant family members might not be regularly checking the property
Investigation Challenges
Solving burglaries can be difficult, particularly when they occur at vacant properties where there may be no witnesses. However, several factors might help investigators:
Security Systems: Many high-end homes in Mooresville (a popular area for NASCAR drivers due to its proximity to Charlotte Motor Speedway) have security cameras and alarm systems. If the Biffle home had such systems, they might have captured images of the perpetrators.
NASCAR Memorabilia Market: If thieves attempt to sell Biffle’s memorabilia, dealers and collectors in the NASCAR community might recognize the items and report them to authorities.
Stolen Firearms Tracking: The two guns, if they have serial numbers, can be entered into databases. If they’re used in other crimes or recovered during other investigations, they might lead back to the burglars.
Local Knowledge: The specificity of knowing there was $30,000 in cash at the home suggests either incredible luck or inside knowledge. Investigators may look at people who had access to the home or knowledge of the family’s habits.
Mooresville’s NASCAR Connection
Mooresville, North Carolina, is known as “Race City USA” because of its concentration of NASCAR teams, drivers, and racing-related businesses. Many current and former drivers live in the area, which means it’s home to numerous valuable collections of memorabilia, race cars, and other high-value items.
This concentration of wealth related to NASCAR makes the area a potential target for thieves who specifically seek racing memorabilia or know that drivers’ homes might contain valuable items.
The Biffle Family Tragedy
The December 18th plane crash that killed Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, their 5-year-old son Ryder, Greg’s 14-year-old daughter Emma from a previous relationship, and three others was devastating to the NASCAR community and beyond.
Greg Biffle had a successful NASCAR career, winning races in all three of NASCAR’s national series and competing at the sport’s highest level for many years. He was known both for his racing success and his involvement in animal welfare causes.
The crash occurred in bad weather conditions—fog and heavy rain—as the plane attempted to return to Statesville Regional Airport. The presence of seven people on the plane, including two children and a 20-year-old college student studying aviation, made the tragedy particularly heartbreaking.
Estate Settlement Complications
This burglary complicates an already difficult estate settlement process. Executors and family members now must:
Document what was stolen for insurance claims
Determine if there are other missing items not yet discovered
Secure the property to prevent future thefts
Deal with the emotional trauma of the violation on top of their grief
For Cathy Grossu, who lost her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren in the crash, having to report this burglary represents yet another painful responsibility during an impossibly difficult time.
Community Response
The NASCAR community, which rallied around the Biffle family after the plane crash, will likely be outraged by this burglary. Racing is a tight-knit community, and the theft from a deceased driver’s home while his family mourns is the kind of violation that generates strong reactions.
If the stolen NASCAR memorabilia surfaces in collector circles, it’s likely that community members will be watching for it and reporting any suspicious sales to authorities.
Moving Forward
As police continue investigating this burglary, the Biffle family must continue the painful process of mourning their loved ones and settling the estate. The theft adds insult to injury, violating the sanctuary of a home where happy memories were made before tragedy struck.
Anyone with information about the burglary is encouraged to contact the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. The recovery of the stolen items—particularly irreplaceable family memorabilia and potentially dangerous stolen firearms remains a priority for investigators.
For now, this cruel crime serves as a reminder that even in the midst of unimaginable tragedy, there are those who would exploit others’ grief for personal gain. The hope is that swift justice will be served and the stolen items, particularly those with sentimental value to the surviving Biffle and Grossu family members, will be recovered.