$300,000 Raised in Kansas After Ricky Alderete Pleads Guilty of Jackie Robinson Statue Theft!

Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Jackie Robinson Statue Theft

Kansas Man Thief Pleads Guilty as $300,000 Raised for Restoration

According to Enterprise-Record, in Kansas a 45-year-old Kansas man named Ricky Alderete has pleaded guilty for the theft of a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson. The statue depicting the legendary baseball player was stolen and found damaged in a park trash can. Ricky Alderete entered his plea during his recent court appearance and the judge approved it. The incident occurred in Wichita where Ricky Alderete was apprehended in February. Initially, Ricky Alderete faced charges related to an alleged attempt to kidnap someone from a residence purportedly to obstruct law enforcement. Later he was charged with felony theft and aggravated criminal damage for the statue’s theft and destruction among other counts. Authorities clarified that the crime wasn’t driven by hate but rather by the intention to sell the metal for scrap. The Jackie Robinson statue a symbol of inspiration for many was brutally removed from its base at McAdams Park in January. Only the feet remained leaving a void in the hearts of the community especially the youth baseball league League 42 named after Robinson’s iconic uniform number from his time with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

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$300,000 Raised as Kansas Man Pleads Guilty of Jackie Robinson Statue Theft! (PHOTO: KAKE)

Legacy of Jackie Robinson Endures Amidst Statue Theft

Five days after someone stole it they found parts of the statue burned in a trash can at another park miles away. They looked at Ricky Alderete’s past crimes like burglary and stealing stuff. Ricky Alderete’s supposed to get sentenced for this on July 1. Americans from the area gave lots of money almost $300,000 to fix or replace the statue. It’s a statue of Jackie Robinson who wasn’t just a baseball player. He was a big deal for civil rights. He started playing with the Kansas City Monarchs a team in the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers and making history. He died in 1972 but Americans still remember him and get inspired by him. The stealing of the Jackie Robinson statue makes us sad because it shows how hard it is to keep symbols of fairness and moving forward safe but the way the community came together to fix it shows that we won’t let bad stuff stop us from honoring Americans who fought for a better fairer world.

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