Roger Maris Stolen Memorabilia Case Solved, 9 People Arrested For String of Thefts

Maris Family: The Items Will Not Be Returned

FARGO, ND. (KVRR/AP) — The case of the stolen Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy awarded to Roger Maris and stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum at West Acres Mall has been solved.

Federal authorities announced charges against a ring of nine people for thefts of millions of dollars worth of paintings, sports memorabilia and other valuables including an Andy Warhol silkscreen, a Jackson Pollock painting and nine World Series rings belonging to the late Yankees catcher Yogi Berra.

The thefts took place over more than two decades at 20 different museums and institutions across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and North Dakota, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Thursday.

The Maris family says to find out the two items will not be returning is disappointing.

The indictment says the belt was cut in half and the MVP trophy was melted down.

“You know we are all very upset about that of course, it’s very sad to hear that they were in all likelihood melted down and sold for their components and that we will likely never see them again.

We are all very happy that the people were caught and they will have to answer for what they did,” said Chris Heaton, Senior Vice President of Property Management for West Acres Development.

Heaton says he learned about the news last week when he was contacted by federal authorities who told him the indictments would be unsealed soon.

Statements from the Maris family and West Acres:

Roger Maris, Jr. speaking on behalf of the Roger Maris Family would like
to commend law enforcement for their time, energy, and effort in
bringing closure to the break-in of the Roger Maris Museum. To find out
that dad’s Hickok Belt and his 1960 League MVP will not be returning is
disappointing. The Hickok Belt, which was given to the best athlete in all
professional sports in 1961, was enjoyed for all to see in his museum and
was by far dad’s favorite award. On the bright side of things there were
only two items taken from the museum. We have beefed up security to a
point that hopefully everything will remain intact for many more years to
come so fans and the general public will continue to have a museum to
enjoy.
________________
West Acres would like to express our gratitude to law enforcement for
diligently pursuing a resolution to the Roger Maris break-in for the past
seven years. Although we are saddened to learn the Hickok Belt and
1960 American League MVP will not be returned, we are glad those
responsible will be made to answer for their theft of these irreplaceable
works of art. West Acres continues to be grateful to the Maris family for
their friendship and partnership. Their generosity has enabled us to
share the memory of Roger Maris with millions of visitors through the
years and we will continue to do so for many years to come. 

Investigators believe some of the sports memorabilia had been melted down, including nine of Berra’s 10 World Series rings, U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam said at a news conference.

It was unclear which items would be returned to their owners or to the museums, but authorities said some of those valuables had been recovered.

Nicholas Dombek, age 53, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 47, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, Alfred Atsus, age 47, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage, and interstate transportation of stolen property.  All four men were also charged with substantive counts of theft of major artwork and the concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage. Dombek was further charged with a substantive count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

Five other individuals were charged by felony informations for the same conspiracy. They are Thomas Trotta, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, Frank Tassiello, age 50, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Daryl Rinker, age 50, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Dawn Trotta, age 51, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, and Ralph Parry, age 45, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment and informations charge the nine with conspiring over a period of 20 years to break into multiple museums and other institutions to steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia, and other objects. Those objects include the following:

• A Christy Mathewson jersey and two contracts signed by Mathewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania;
• “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum, Scranton, Pennsylvania;
• Nine (9) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques awarded to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, Little Falls, New Jersey;
• Six (6) championship belts, including four awarded to Carmen Basilio and two awarded to Tony Zale stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Canastota, New York;
• The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy awarded to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum, Fargo, North Dakota;
• The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library, Liberty Corner, New Jersey;
• Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth over $300,000 stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York;
• Five (5) trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Saratoga Springs, New York;
• Eleven (11) trophies, including 4 awarded to Art Wall, Jr. stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania;
• Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000 stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum, Wantage, New Jersey;
• An 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society, Scranton, Pennsylvania,
• “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, and two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor, Ringwood, New Jersey;
• $400,000 worth of gold nuggets stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
• Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017 from the Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin, New Jersey;
• An antique shotgun worth over $30,000 stolen in 2018 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum, Wantage, New Jersey;
• Various jewelry, and other items from multiple antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.

The indictment and informations further allege that after stealing the above-described items, the conspirators transported the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melted the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars.  The conspirators sold the raw metal to other individuals in the New York City area for hundreds or thousands of dollars, but significantly less than the stolen items would be worth at fair market value.