'Most hated man in Wichita': Ricky Alderete slammed for stealing Jackie Robinson statue to sell as scrap
WICHITA, KANSAS: A man has been accused of stealing a statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson with the intention of selling it for scrap metal, according to Kansas police.
Ricky Alderete was formally charged on Monday for the theft of the bronze statue, as announced by the Wichita Police Department on their Facebook page.
Robinson reportedly played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues before making his mark with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His transition to the Dodgers opened doors for numerous Black American athletes in the world of baseball, per ABC 7.
Robinson is revered not only as a sports legend but also as a symbol of civil rights. His legacy continues even after his death in 1972.
Who is Ricky Alderete?
The police were reportedly alerted to the crime on January 25 when they received reports that the statue had been severed at the ankles. In a startling discovery, the statue was found days later, smoldering in a trash can.
Alderete, aged 45, was initially arrested earlier this month due to a warrant issued in connection with a separate kidnapping case, as reported by the Associated Press.
In a press conference held on Tuesday, WPD Chief Joe Sullivan stated that Alderete's arrest was "only the first arrest," and anticipates more arrests in the future.
He further mentioned that the investigation is still underway and over 100 individuals have been interviewed by the department so far.
The WPD stated there has "not [been] 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."
"Our detectives remain committed to gathering information to identify and charge all individuals involved in the theft and destruction of the Jackie Robinson statue."
In December, news surfaced of a highly unusual theft where robbers stole a diamond ring from a woman’s grave.
Destruction of Jackie Robinson statue
On January 25, the Wichita Police Department (WPD) began an investigation into the theft of a Jackie Robinson statue from McAdams Park.
The suspect vehicle was located three days later. On January 30, remnants of the statue, burned beyond repair, were found in a park. The statue, owned by the League 42 Foundation, once stood at a youth baseball field.
Following the theft, League 42 launched a GoFundMe campaign on January 31 to fund a replacement statue, using the still-viable mold from the original artist, John Parsons.
The fundraiser, which ended on February 5, raised over $190,000. Despite this, Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs have announced they will replace the statue, per People.
What are the charges against Ricky Alderete?
Alderete has been slapped with four charges, which include felony theft (with a value exceeding $25,000) and severe criminal property damage, according to the WPD.
In addition, he faces two more charges - identity theft and falsification of information - originating from an incident involving a pawn ticket in 2022.
As reported by the Associated Press, Alderete is currently being held on a bond of $150,000.
Internet calls Ricky Alderete 'most hated man in Wichita'
A user joked on Facebook, "And how’d exactly did he think that a scrap metal place was just going to take a Jackie Robinson statue."
"Thro him jail for a long time," said another.
Another person added, "Jail should sober him up."
"Currently the most hated man in Wichita." remarked a user.
"Take away his drivers license and ban him from public transportation," urged a person.
A user stated about his age, "45? He looks 75."
Another user linked Ricky to other copper thefts in the city writing, "Is he linked to other recent copper thefts that have been taking place around Wichita? It's gotten pretty bad lately."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
