NEW YORK — A 25-year-old man has been arrested for theft a ceremonial sword and bullhorn 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 carrying the bull’s horn.
Yakubov, who lives in Queens where the Catholic institution is located, was charged with burglary, petit larceny, trespassing and possession of stolen property, police said. He remained in custody on Saturday. It was unknown if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Police said the theft happened Tuesday night when two people entered the university’s athletics department office “without permission” and removed a number of items before fleeing on a moped.
The second suspect was still at large Saturday, police said.
“St. John’s University is grateful for the quick response of the NYPD and the recovery of the stolen property,” university spokesman Brian Browne said in a statement. “The safety and security of our campus community is paramount, and our collaborative relationship with law enforcement helps ensure that.”
Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Pitino was a Hall of Fame coach employed by St. John’s last year with hopes of restoring a once-historic Big East program that had its heyday in the 1980s.