26 January 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The City of Wichita said someone stole the Jackie Robinson statue at McAdams Park Wednesday night.
A Facebook post from the city said the statue was cut just above the feet.
Damages are estimated at $75,000, according to the city.
Surveillance
The Wichita Police Department has released photos and a video of a suspect vehicle as well as the robbery.
Photos:
Video:
In the video above, you can see a truck driving around the area where the statue is located. Later, a few people are seen walking around the area. At timeframe 3:57, the suspects approach the statue and remove it from the base. The truck then reenters the scene and backs up to the statue. The suspects are then seen loading the statue into the back of the truck before it takes off.
The statue
The statue was created by artist John Parsons and is dedicated to Jackie Robinson, who made history by becoming the first Black man in history to join Major League Baseball and served to inspire the kids in local nonprofit League 42 and the surrounding community.
Jackie Robinson statue in April 2021 (KSN Photo)
Jackie Robinson statue in April 2021 (KSN Photo)
Bob Lutz, the executive director for League 42, is understandably upset. He said Parsons, the sculptor, was a lifelong friend of his who died around a year and a half ago.
“It was one of his crowning achievements of a storied, long career,” Lutz told KSN. “I was so proud to get that up at McAdams Park. The City of Wichita was a great partner in creating the Jackie Robinson pavilion, and now it’s just been decimated. And I’m a combination of every emotion you can imagine except joy and happiness.”
Tune into KSN News at 6 and 10 for continuing coverage.