By Trish Svoboda

A man has been formally charged in the theft and destruction of a Jackie Robinson statue stolen from McAdams Park in Wichita.

On January 25th, Wichita Police were called to League 42 about the theft of the Jackie Robinson statue. Property Crimes investigators launched an investigation conducting interviews and checking for surveillance footage. On January 30th the statue was found dismantled and burned in a garbage bin at Garvey Park, two days after authorities located the unoccupied suspect vehicle.

On Monday, February 12th, 2024, Ricky Alderete, 45, was charged by Sedgwick County district attorney Marc Bennett with felony theft- over $25,000, aggravated criminal damage to property, identity theft, and making false information.

The Wichita Police Department (WPD) posted on their Facebook that they do not believe this crime was hate-motivated, and that the intention was financial gain of scrapping metal.

Detectives continue to investigate the case, and WPD noted their intention to find and charge all individuals involved.