Former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant's high school was robbed of several pieces of Bryant memorabilia on Sunday. Lower Merion high school, near Philadelphia, has a "shrine" to the Future Hall of Famer outside its gym, the Kobe Bryant gymnasium, and the display case's lock was busted open, as first reported by philly.com's Rob Tornoe:
Sometime Sunday evening, the lock was broken on a display case, known to students at "Kobe's Shrine," outside the Bryant Gymnasium. Among the items stolen were framed replica of Bryant's Lower Merion jersey, the Aces' 1996 PIAA Boys Basketball State Championship trophy and net from the title game, and several pairs of Nike sneakers signed by the Lakers superstar.
"We're bummed," said Doug Young, Lower Merion's Director of Community Relations, who said couldn't understand why someone would steal items that don't have a significant monetary value.
"It's a replica jersey, it's not even the jersey he wore in high school," said Young, a high school teammate of Bryant. "I'm not sure what someone would do with a state championship trophy. For us, the items are important because they represent some really wonderful memories."
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"Material items can be replaced and we will make every effort to restore and even enhance the contents of the case with the help of alumni and friends," principal Sean Hughes and athletics director Don Walsh said in the joint email to parents. "And even if we cannot replace all the items, the moments that produced them are still very much alive in our memories and honored through the ongoing traditions of Aces Nation."
Philly.com and the Associated Press both reported that Lower Merion police are looking at surveillance video to try to find the burglar or burglars.
