Thieves went to McAdams Park in Wichita, Kansas, and stole a Jackie Robinson statue around midnight on Jan. 25, 2024. Police believe a pickup truck, inset, was involved in the theft. Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita police. (Wichita Police Department)
Authorities in Kansas are searching for the people who are responsible for going to a Wichita park in the middle of the night and hauling off with a Jackie Robinson statue.
The theft happened around midnight Thursday at the Jackie Robinson Pavilion in McAdams Park on Wichita’s northside. Wichita police released surveillance video of a pickup truck they think is involved. The thieves cut off the statue at the ankles, leaving only Robinson’s shoes behind, and loaded it into the bed of the pick-up truck before driving away. Cops say the value of the theft is about $75,000.
“When I received notification of this, [it was] one of the few times in life I’m speechless,” said Wichita City Councilman Brandon Johnson at a press conference Friday. “This horrendous, disgusting act really caused me a pause. And it caused pause because of the impact no matter the motivation of those who were involved.”
Johnson said the statue by artist John Parsons was erected to benefit kids in the area who play baseball and to honor the legend. The statue was unveiled in 2021 by League 42, which organizes the area Little League baseball league and is named for Robinson who wore No. 42.
Park and Recreation Director Troy Houtman said he had a lot of different emotions about the theft.
“I was wondering who would do such a thing?,” he said. “Who would actually take a statute of Jackie Robinson, an icon of baseball history? … The impact of this theft is more than just the cash value of this statue. It has a huge impact in regard to the history of our community and the history of baseball. This theft is the opposite of everything Jackie Robinson stood for.”
The city is offering a $2,500 for tips that lead to an arrest and $5,000 for the statue’s return. Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita police. Meanwhile, League 42 started a GoFundMe to raise funds for a replacement statue or to repair the original should it be recovered.
“As law enforcement searches for the statue and the culprits of this crime, we remain devoted to our mission of providing low-cost baseball and education opportunities for our 600 kids, ages 5-14. They are as heartbroken over this theft as any of us and we are determined to either repair the original sculpture or create a new one,” Executive Director Bob Lutz wrote.
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