Even as the SS United States is being prepped for her move to Florida following the ultimate resolution of her legal difficulties, surveillance video has surfaced showing the ship being burglarized.
The video, released by the Philadelphia Police Department South Detective Division, shows multiple male suspects accessing the SS United States without permission, climbing up ropes to board the vessel.
Roughly three hours later, they were then seen leaving the vessel from the same access point, carrying several items without permission. The exact items are not able to be identified, but some appear to be signage from the ship.
The trio also appears to be carrying a pair of bolt cutters as well as flashlights and other tools, which may have been used to access the pier or to make their way through the ship’s interior.
Police have also reported some damage to the vessel following the incident, which may be deliberate vandalism or could be how the suspects moved through the ship, if they damaged access points or broke into sealed areas.
The incident happened on Wednesday, October 3, 2024, just days before the SS United States Conservancy confirmed a deal with Okaloosa County, Florida for the decaying ship to be scuttled as an artificial reef off the Destin-Fort Worth Beach coast.
The time of the video puts the trespassing and burglary between 1:40 a.m. and 4:40 a.m. at Pier 82, 2205 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard. The ship has been berthed at the pier since 1996.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call 911 or submit a tip via telephone, text, or an online form to help police apprehend the suspects. All tips are confidential.
In addition to burglary charges, trespassing charges for both the pier and the ship may apply in this case, as the area around the ship is fenced off and not accessible to the public.
While it is unlikely the suspects were able to remove anything of significant value from the ship as artifacts and other items were removed long ago, it is possible that the pending sale and departure of the vessel could have prompted the crime.
With “America’s Flagship” now destined for a watery future as an artificial coral reef, even small mementos or memorabilia could increase in value and attract the attention of collectors and dealers.
Future Fate of the SS United States
Following a protracted legal battle with Penn Warehousing over pier fee increases, back rent, and berth eviction, the SS United States Conservancy has opted to gracefully end the ship’s days with a deal to move the ship to Florida to become an artificial coral reef.
“Faced with no options to save the SS United States in her current state and under a binding court order, we were left with the painful but unavoidable choice between scrapping America’s Flagship or converting her into an artificial reef in tandem with a land-based museum,” the Conservancy said. “We chose the latter as the most dignified path.”
Part of the arrangement includes a land-based museum that will highlight the ship’s distinctive career and record-setting service, further educating the public about the vessel and ensuring her legacy is not lost.
Various memorabilia, including one of the ship’s funnels, will be part of that museum, giving visitors a glimpse of the vessel’s engineering advancements as they learn of her history and the ongoing support she will provide to the local marine environment.
Read Also: Cruise Ship Scrapping – Everything You Need to Know
The total deal is in excess of $10 million to prepare the SS United States to move in the coming days, to convert the vessel for use as a reef, and ultimately to safely sink her in the proper location for the best environmental results.
Prior to her journey to Florida, the ship will likely be towed to Norfolk, Virginia for the conversion work, though the exact timeline for her departure from Philadelphia has not yet been announced.
