Arrest Has Been Made in Theft of Jackie Robinson Statue Later Found Dismantled and Burned

A bronze statue of legendary baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson was stolen from a park in Wichita, Kan., on Jan. 25, 2024. Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP

A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police announced Tuesday.

Ricky Alderete was taken into custody earlier this month in a kidnapping case and charged Monday with four counts stemming from the theft and a 2022 case, records show. Wichita police Lt. Aaron Moses said there was no evidence it was a “hate-motivated crime” but rather the intent was to sell the metal for scrap.