Police are searching for two suspects who broke into St. John’s University’s Carnesecca Arena on Tuesday night and stole memorabilia belonging to basketball coach Rick Pitino.
Photo courtesy of SJU
Police from the 107th Precinct in Fresh Meadows are searching for two young men who broke into the Carnesecca Arena on the campus of St. John’s University in Hillcrest on Tuesday night.
The suspects sneaked into basketball coach Rick Pitino’s office, where they stole his personal memorabilia, according to a source familiar with the investigation. The suspected burglars entered Pitino’s office around 8 p.m. and took a basketball, a ceremonial sword in a sheath and a megaphone estimated to be worth around $400.
“The university has released surveillance footage to the NYPD and is assisting with the ongoing investigation,” said SJU spokesman Brian Browne.
The video shows the two men, who appear to be in their 20s, walking down the hallway outside Pitino’s office, which overlooks the Red Storms’ basketball court. One of the suspects held the sword and had dark hair, a beard, and a mustache. He was wearing a black T-shirt, tan shorts, and black sneakers. His accomplice had dark hair and a thinner beard and was brandishing the stolen bullhorn while talking on a cellphone. He was wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers.
Outside the arena, the two perpetrators sped off on a moped heading west on Union Turnpike. No injuries were reported in the robbery, police said.
No arrests were made and investigations are ongoing.
Anyone with information about this break-in is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by visiting the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.orgor on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages will be kept confidential.
As of August 18, the 107th Precinct has reported 132 burglaries so far in 2024, according to the latest CompStat report, 30 fewer than the 172 reported at the same time last year, a 23.3% decrease.
