Detectives have arrested one of the two men who broke into the offices of St. John’s Red Storm basketball coach Rick Pitino, taking an autographed basketball, police said Saturday.
Emanuel Yakubov, 25, was taken into custody on Friday and is facing burglary, petit larceny, criminal trespass, and criminal possession of stolen property charges for the daring break-in, cops said.
He’s accused of creeping onto the college’s Queens campus on Goethals Ave. at about 6 p.m. Tuesday and forcing his way into the athletics building with an accomplice.
Once inside, they broke into Pitino’s office and swiped a basketball, as well as a short ceremonial sword in a sheath, a mini bullhorn, and a few bottles of wine, cops said.
Police recovered crystal-clear surveillance footage of the two men, one carrying the stolen bullhorn, the other holding the sword, as they walked down the building hallway.
The suspects left the campus on a moped and were last seen heading westbound on Union Turnpike, cops said.
Yakubov was arrested three days after the break-in. It wasn’t immediately disclosed how investigators linked him to the crime.
None of the stolen items were found when Yakubov was taken into custody, cops said.
Yakubov lives in Long Island City, Queens, about 11 miles from campus, cops said. His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was pending Saturday.
Pitino made light of the theft Thursday.
“Really upset! Taking my memorabilia is one thing but the 1985 6L Petrus Pomerol has me livid,” Pitino wrote on X.
“The 1985 Petrus was a joke,” the coach added in a followup tweet. “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!”
Pitino’s long and often controversial coaching career included several years with the New York Knicks in the late 1980s. He was head coach at Louisville for more than 15 years before being fired amid a bribery probe.
University Spokesperson Brian Browne confirmed the theft was from the athletic department.
“On Tuesday, August 20, at approximately 8 p.m., a theft occurred at St. John’s University, Queens Campus,” he said. “Property was stolen from an office in the Athletics Department. The University shared surveillance footage with the NYPD and is assisting in the ongoing investigation.”
Yakubov’s accomplice remained at large Saturday.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
