Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino filed a complaint with the New York Police Department this week after his office at St. John’s was burglarized by two men, according to the New York Post. In the complaint, Pitino claims roughly $375 worth of memorabilia was taken from his office at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Among the items stolen were a bullhorn, a ceremonial dagger and a basketball. The school shared surveillance footage with police to assist with the ongoing investigation. The suspects remain at large.
After plundering Pitino’s office, which is located above the court inside Carnesecca Arena, the complaint alleges the thieves drove off on a moped and headed west with the memorabilia in tow. It’s unclear if they took other things while in the building.
Pitino on Thursday tweeted about the incident and — jokingly — said he was most upset about being robbed of a 1985 6L Petrus Pomerol, which is a bottle of wine. He later clarified that he has that particular bottle stuffed away in a special place for a special occasion.
Pitino’s been robbed of far bigger things in the past — the NCAA controversially forced his 2013 Louisville team to vacate its NCAA Tournament title and take down its banner inside the KFC Yum! Center — but losing even just a few hundred dollars worth of memorabilia from your own office to thieves has to sting nonetheless.
Pitino is coming off his first season coaching the Johnnies after leading them to a 20-13 record. They missed the NCAA Tournament in his first year but recorded their most wins since 2018-19, finishing fifth in the Big East.
