Two Illinois football players were charged with theft after they relocated a statue from a park onto the roof of their apartment building, according to Mary Schenk of the News-Gazette.
Linebackers James Marchese, 21, and Drew Murtaugh, 20, were each charged with a single count of theft between $500 and $10,000 for allegedly stealing a steel deer sculpture, valued at $5,000, from Scott Park on April 29. If convicted, penalties for the men range from probation to two-to-five years in prison.
From @schenk: Two @IlliniFootball player roommates charged with theft for allegedly stealing deer statue from @champark's Scott Park: https://t.co/svUCGqqPe8 pic.twitter.com/5G6GS3hwEc
— The News-Gazette (@news_gazette) May 26, 2018
Police received a tip on May 5 that the statue had been spotted on the roof of the apartment complex where Marchese and Murtaugh live. Marchese told police that he and Murtaugh were walking home April 29 when they noticed the statue lying on the ground and decided to take it to the rooftop.
Kent Brown, director of sports information at Illinois, told Schenz that head football coach Lovie Smith is aware of the charges against the linebackers.
- With h/t to Extra Mustard