- Robinson statue was stolen from a park in Wichita, Kansas, in January
- Ricky Alderete, 45, has been charged with multiple charges, including felony robbery.
- DailyMail.com provides the latest international sports news.
A man has been charged with the theft of a statue depicting pioneering baseball player Jackie Robinson, police said Tuesday, adding that they believe the incident was not motivated by hate but rather financial gain.
The life-size bronze of Robinson, who in 1947 became the first black man to play in Major League Baseball, was stolen from a park in Wichita, Kansas, in January and parts of it were later found burned and in a trash can.
Only the feet of the statue remained in McAdams Park; where approximately 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42, named after Robinson’s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
It was during his time in Brooklyn that the baseball icon broke the MLB color barrier.
A month after the incident, Ricky Alderete, 45, has been charged with four felony criminal counts of theft (valued at more than $25,000), aggravated criminal damage to property, identity theft and falsifying property information. theft of the statue.
A 45-year-old man has been charged with the theft of the Jackie Robinson statue in Kansas
The life-size bronze of Robinson, who in 1947 became the first black man to play in Major League Baseball, was cut off at the ankles, stolen and destroyed last month.
However, police believe Alderete’s alleged actions were motivated solely by financial gain.
‘The investigation has not revealed any evidence to indicate that this was a hate crime. “Instead, we believe this theft was motivated by financial gain from scrapping base metal,” the Wichita Police Department said in a news release.
“Our detectives remain committed to gathering information to identify and charge all individuals involved in the theft and destruction of the Jackie Robinson statue.”
Police said the suspect, who is currently in custody, was charged Monday with multiple counts.
The statue, which commemorated Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier, was cut down at the ankles and dragged away on a truck. Later, firefighters who had responded to a fire report discovered irreparable pieces.
Robinson was famous for overcoming racial hatred in a widely segregated society. He was a six-time All-Star with Brooklyn and won a World Series title in 1955, the first for the historic franchise.
Donations came in late January to replace Robinson’s destroyed statue on what would have been his 105th birthday.
The total raised through an online fundraiser surpassed $145,000 at one point, far exceeding the $75,000 estimated value of the bronze statue that was cut from its base.