The hunt to find a bronze Jackie Robinson statue and the thieves who stole it from McAdams Park is ramping up.

The Wichita Metro Crime Commission and League 42 are offering up to $2,500 for any tip that leads to an arrest, and an additional $5,000 if the statue is recovered.

“Our city wants the statue returned. We also want the individuals who robbed our community of a treasure to be held accountable for their actions, and I assure you they will,” Police Chief Joe Sullivan said at a Friday afternoon press conference.

One key element of the investigation has been contacting scrap metal businesses from around the region to notify them of the theft.

Surveillance footage shows the vandals sawing off the statue at its feet and loading it into a dark-colored, short-bed pickup truck before making off with it early Thursday.

“I’m hoping that they didn’t know what they were doing,” Parks Director Troy Houtman said.

“If they would just bring it back, no questions asked. We’d move on and repair the statue. Hopefully, they’ll wisen up to do that.”

But he said the statue, which is valued at $75,000, will be replaced “one way or another.”

“We’re either going to do repairs or replace. We’ve already started investigating on what that’s going to take,” he said.

District Attorney Marc Bennett said the window for leniency is rapidly closing.

“I just told Chief Sullivan to call me as soon as you’ve got him. We’ll leave a booking appointment open,” Bennett said.

“If you have to wait for the cops to show up, the moment passed. If someone wants to recognize how stupid this was and correct their actions, come forward now.”

Robinson, who wore number 42, was the first Black player to play in Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier when he suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

The statue is the centerpiece of League 42, a baseball league for low-income youth that serves hundreds of children a year.

“It’s really, really personal to me on several fronts,” League 42 executive director and founder Bob Lutz said. “One, certainly for League 42. But also because of the friendship that I had for 50 years or more with the sculptor.”

The sculptor, John Parsons, died in 2022.

“The statue will be back in one form or another. One thing we don’t believe in is giving in,” Lutz said.

He said community members will gather at the Jackie Robinson pavilion at McAdams Park at 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning to reflect and support each other.

District 1 City Council member Brandon Johnson said when he heard about the theft Thursday, it was one of the few times he can remember being speechless.

“This horrendous, disgusting act really caused me to pause,” Johnson said. “It caused pause because of the impact — no matter the motivation of those who were involved. They were not only stealing from the community. They were also stealing from the legacy of work that has been put in by the members of League 42. They’ve been stealing from the hard work of our city teams that have beautified the north end of McAdams Park. More importantly, they’re stealing from the kids, the participants, the young people.”

Police are asking anyone with information to contact detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. Callers can remain anonymous with Crime Stoppers.