The brazen theft of a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson in Kansas was not motivated by hatred, but rather by a con artist looking to sell the priceless sculpture for scrap metal.
Wichita police announced the arrest of one of the suspects involved in the heinous crime of cutting off the ankle of a statue at McAdams Park on January 25 and stealing it, and revealed a motive on Monday.
Police said Ricky Alderete, 45, was charged with grand larceny, felony criminal damage to property and other charges as they searched for additional thieves.
Less than a week after the theft, parts of the dismantled Jackie Robinson statue were found charred in a dumpster at another park, in what authorities previously called a “heartbreaking discovery.” there was.
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan: “If you’re going to take something away from this community, we’re not going to tolerate it.” he said at a press conference.
“This is only the first arrest and I am sure there will be more in the future,” he added.
Police said Alderete was jailed earlier this month in an unrelated case before being charged Monday with statue theft.
This rare figurine honors Major League Baseball’s first player to break the color barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
Police did not say how many more suspects they were looking for, but three people who were in the park when the Robinson statue was removed by vehicle were later found by police in an empty parking lot at an apartment complex. He said he had discovered it.
Investigators believe the statue was stolen so it could be sold as scrap metal. Police said the crime was not motivated by hatred.
“We are confident that this was not a race-related crime,” Lt. Aaron Moses said at a news conference.
Wichita City Councilman Brandon Johnson said Tuesday he was “really pleased” one of the suspects was in custody.
“We look forward to seeing the remaining people arrested and charged,” Johnson said.
The community plans to raise about $200,000 to install another Robinson statue in its place.
Robinson earned his ticket to the Hall of Fame in 1962, becoming the first black player to enter Cooperstown. The lightning-quick infielder, who boasts a career MLB batting average of .313, began his career with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before signing with Brooklyn.
