Feb. 13 (UPI) — Police in Wichita, Kan., say they have made an arrest in connection to the theft and destruction of a statue of baseball great Jackie Robinson in January.
Police said Tuesday that Ricky Alderete, 45, is in custody has been charged with felony theft, identity theft and making false information.
The statue, which stood in MacAdams Park until it went missing on Jan. 25, was commissioned by the League 42 youth baseball league and built in 2021. Its estimated value is $75,000, police said.
On Jan. 28, police say they found a vehicle in Wichita that they believed is connected to the case and, on Jan. 30, pieces of the statue were found when emergency services responded to a trashcan fire.
“We’re feeling good that someone is being held responsible,” said League 42 Foundation director Bob Lutz.
According to Lutz, Major League Baseball has pledged funds to help replace the statue.
“The investigation has not revealed any evidence indicating that this was a hate-motivated crime. Instead, we believe this theft was motivated by the financial gain of scrapping common metal,” said Police Lieutenant Aaron Moses.
According to Moses, three people were seen on security footage while the statue was being stolen.