Jackie Robinson Statue Stolen From Kansas Park

A prized statue of the man credited with breaking down Major League Baseball's color barrier, Jackie Robinson, has been stolen from a public park in Kansas.

Surveillance video was released of two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark.

Wichita police indicated that the statue had gone missing on the morning of Jan. 25.

"I’m frustrated by the actions of those individuals who had the audacity to take the statue of Jackie Robinson from a park where kids and families in our community gather to learn the history of Jackie Robinson, an American icon, and play the game of baseball," said Wichita police Chief Joe Sullivan. He added:

This should upset all of us.

It is unclear whether or not the crime was motivated by race, but even if it wasn't, the timing of the crime is frustrating.

Wichita, like the rest of America, is about to celebrate Black History Month.

I'm sure a statue of Jackie Robinson would have been a focal point of the festivities.