By Micheal Chukwuebuka, Reporting
THE search for a stolen statue of baseball’s legend is over, but authorities in Wichita, Kansas, say the burned remnants recovered by firefighters mean the statue of Jackie Robinson is damaged beyond repair.
Five days after Stonix News reported the missing statue from a Wichita park and sports complex, police said the fire department had received a phone call reporting a trash can fire.
Full statue of Jackie Robinson before it was stolen
According to NBC News, once the blaze was extinguished Tuesday, the crew saw what appeared to be burned pieces of the Robinson statue. Additional parts of the statue have yet to be recovered.
“Wichita Fire Department arson investigators are investigating the fire aspect of this incident,” the state’s Police Spokesperson Andrew Ford said in a statement, adding that authorities have conducted more than a hundred interviews.
As of when filing this report, authorities have not shared names or suspect descriptions. Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan credited intense media coverage with helping push the case forward and said finding those responsible is only a matter of time.
“Whether you’re involved with stealing the statue, whether or not you accepted the statue, you were part of the destruction of the statue.
“It would be in your best interest to simply turn yourself in,” Sullivan said.
What's your reaction?
