NEW YORK (1010 WINS/AP) — A 12-year-old boy was arrested and charged on Wednesday in the August burglary of Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino’s office at St. John’s University in Queens, joining two other arrestees in a case that police initially identified only two suspects.
The child was charged with burglary, third-degree burglary and criminal possession of stolen property after his arrest in Queens on Wednesday.
Brian Browne, a spokesperson for St. John's University, said that the theft happened shortly before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at the athletics department offices. The offices are located in the floors above the hardwood at Carnesecca Arena, where Pitino's Red Storm play.
Once inside the building, two unknown male suspects removed various items and fled on a moped traveling westbound on Union Turnpike with the stolen goods, police said on Aug. 22.
The NYPD released surveillance footage on the same day that showed the two walking down a hallway in the building, with one carrying the stolen sword and the other holding the bullhorn.
One day later, on Aug. 23, 25-year-old Emanuel Yakubov of Queens was charged with third-degree burglary, petit larceny, third-degree criminal trespass and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
"St. John's University is grateful for the rapid response made by the NYPD and the recovery of stolen property. The safety and security of our campus community are essential, and our cooperative relationship with law enforcement helps ensure that," Browne reportedly said in a statement following the arrest.
A 17-year old was nabbed as Yakubov’s accomplice just under two weeks after his arrest, and he was charged with second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal trespass on Sept. 3.
The child’s arrest was announced on Thursday with no additional information on his relationship to the case or other arrestees.
The NYPD does not release the names of minors charged with crimes, so neither the 17-year-old nor 12-year-old’s identities are known.
Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Pitino was hired by St. John's last year with the hopes of restoring a once storied Big East program that had its heyday in the 1980s but has been mired in mediocrity for more than two decades.
Pitino posted on X on Aug. 22: "Really upset! Taking my memorabilia is one thing but the 1985 6L Petrus Pomerol has me livid!!!"
However, he later posted that he was joking.
Pitino quoted his original post, and wrote: "The 1985 Petrus was a joke🤣🤣I would never keep that on my desk! Saving that one in a wine cellar to open after the Johnnies go to the final four!"
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.