Thieves steal Oregon sports memorabilia

EUGENE, Ore. – University of Oregon football star Joey Harrington can pull off a benefit on the weight of his autograph alone.

It’s a fact that thieves – just like collectors – have caught on to. This week, burglars stole more than $15,000 worth of sports memorabilia signed by the former star.

The goods were destined for sale during Harrington’s charity piano performance with the Oregon Jazz Ensemble in the University of Oregon’s Autzen Stadium.

The sale was to benefit the Harrington Family Foundation, while the proceeds from the concert tickets were part of a fund-raiser for a new School of Music building.

Even as Harrington rehearsed Friday at Autzen for that night’s performance, Eugene police were at the stadium investigating the theft, dusting for fingerprints and collecting videotape from surveillance cameras.

The items had been placed in the Club Room specialty shop on Thursday in preparation for the fund-raising event.

A security guard arrived at the stadium Friday morning and found the steel roll-down shop door open and the merchandise missing.

The stolen items included four authentic UO helmets signed by Harrington and valued at about $500 each.

Also missing were a signed Detroit Lions helmet, a number of jerseys and mini-helmets, and some signed prints.

Harrington, now a quarterback with the National Football League’s Detroit Lions, tickled the ivories Friday evening to launch the school of music’s $15.2 million building renovation and expansion campaign.

People paid as much as $125 each to attend the dinner concert.

Bookstore employees pulled merchandise from other stores to sell during the musical performance.

“It’s unfortunate that somebody violated the whole spirit of what this was all about,” said Jim Williams, general manager of the University of Oregon Bookstore, who also manages the Club Room where the stolen items were left.