Philadelphia police are searching for burglars who boarded the SS United States

It is believed that several items were stolen from the famous ocean liner SS United States Just days before it leaves the Philadelphia Pier, where it has been docked for nearly 30 years, to begin a new chapter as an artificial reef.

Philadelphia police said they are searching for suspects who were caught on camera entering and breaking into the historic ship on October 2. The suspects are said to have managed to gain access to his berth at Pier 82, Christopher Columbus Boulevard, and steal several items.

Although police have released video of the break-in and are searching for the suspects, they have not been able to determine what was stolen. “The suspects gain access to the SS United States without permission. About three hours later, the suspects were seen leaving the SS United States with multiple items, without permission,” the Philadelphia Police Department said.

While it is clear from the video that the suspects got away with items, it is clear that these are likely of lesser value, considering that the famous ship of the line was long ago stripped of all valuable items, including artifacts.

For example, a collection of photographs is owned by the Mariners Museum, while the ship’s bell is stored in the clock tower on the campus of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. Many other items, including a large collection of dining room furniture and other memorabilia, were auctioned off to various collectors.

Trespassing and burglary by the SS United States happened just days before the liner left Philadelphia for Florida, where it would become an artificial reef. This follows an agreement between the SS United States Conservancy and Penn Warehousing & Distribution, the company that controls the Philadelphia Pier where the ocean liner has been docked for nearly 30 years.

Conceived by one of America’s greatest naval architects, William Francis Gibbs, SS United States was built in the early 1950s as an Atlantic liner. She broke the Atlantic speed record on her maiden voyage in 1952 and, 72 years later, remains the fastest passenger ship ever to cross the Atlantic.

She served for only 17 years before U.S. government subsidies ended, the decision was made to fly U.S. military and government officials, and the growth of commercial airlines ended the ship’s career. The U.S. government eventually took ownership and searched for a buyer before selling the ship in 1980. Many plans to reuse the ship were proposed, but none came to fruition.