NEW YORK — A 25-year-old man has been arrested for theft a ceremonial sword and megaphone from Coach Rick Pitino’ The New York City police reported this on Saturday at the offices of St. John’s University.
Emanuel Yakubov was arrested on Friday, a day after police released surveillance footage showing two men walking through a hallway in the building, one carrying the stolen sword and the other the megaphone.
Yakubov, who lives in Queens, where the Catholic institution is located, was charged with burglary, petty theft, trespassing and possession of stolen property, police said. He remained in custody Saturday. It was not known whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
According to police, the theft occurred Tuesday night when two individuals gained access to the university’s athletic department offices “without permission” and stole several items before fleeing on a motorcycle.
The second suspect was still at large on Saturday, police said.
“St. John’s University is grateful for the NYPD’s swift response and recovery of stolen property,” university spokesman Brian Browne said in a statement. “The safety and security of our campus community is essential, and our cooperative relationship with law enforcement helps ensure that.”
Pitino, born in New York City and raised on Long Island, was a Hall of Fame coach. hired last year by St. John’s hoping to revive a once-legendary Big East program that had its heyday in the 1980s.