Three weeks after a Jackie Robinson statue was stolen from a Kansas park and found dismantled, an arrest has been made.
According to ESPN's Anthony Olivieri, the Wichita Police Department said Tuesday that Ricky Alderete, 45, has been charged with felony theft (value over $25,000), aggravated criminal damage to property, identity theft and making false information.
The statue was stolen from McAdams Park, which plays home to League 42, a youth baseball league for roughly 600 children that commissioned and erected the statue in 2021. Police said it was valued at $75,000.
"The investigation has not revealed any evidence indicating that this was a hate-motivated crime," Aaron Moses of the Wichita Police Department said.