Detectives have arrested a second suspect they say is responsible for breaking into the offices of St. John’s Red Storm basketball coach Rick Pitino, where an autographed basketball and other memorabilia were taken, police said Wednesday.
The 17-year-old crook surrendered to police on Tuesday, cops said. His name was not disclosed because of his age.
His partner in crime, 25-year-old Emanuel Yakubov, was arrested on Aug. 23, cops said.
The teen was charged with burglary and criminal trespass, according to officials. He and Yakubov are neighbors in Long Island City, police sources said.
The pair are accused of creeping onto the college’s Queens campus on Goethals Ave. at about 6 p.m. on Aug. 20 and forcing their way into the athletics building.
Once inside, they entered 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 pair, 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 heist after police received a CrimeStoppers tip about his identity.
Cops charged Yakubov with burglary, petit larceny, criminal trespass, and criminal possession of stolen property charges for the break-in. He was released without bail after his arraignment in Queens criminal court. The charges he faced did not require monetary bail, officials said.
Pitino made light of the theft after it occurred.
“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!”
He kept joking about the theft days later.
“SJU has made no attempt to replace the Tequila & wine,” he wrote on Aug. 27. “The wine belonged to Fr Rock. You all in administration are in big trouble!”
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.