NEW YORK — A 25-year-old man has been arrested and charged with stealing a ceremonial sword and a megaphone from coach Rick Pitino's office at St. John's University, New York City police said Saturday.
Emanuel Yakubov was arrested on Friday, a day after police released surveillance footage showing two men walking down a hallway in the building, one carrying the stolen sword and the other holding the megaphone.
Yakubov, who lives in Queens, where the Catholic school is located, was charged with robbery, petty theft, burglary and possession of stolen property, police said. He remained in custody Saturday. It was not known if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Police said the robbery occurred Tuesday night when two people entered the university's athletic department offices “without authorization” and took several items before fleeing on a motorcycle.
The second suspect remained at large Saturday, police said.
“St. John's University appreciates the NYPD's quick response and recovery of the stolen property,” university spokesman Brian Browne said in a statement. “The safety of our university community is essential, and our cooperative relationship with law enforcement helps ensure that.”
Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach, was hired by St. John's last year with hopes of restoring a Big East program that had its heyday in the 1980s.
