MINNEAPOLIS — The beacon atop a lighthouse that guides vessels in the waters off Superior, Wis., was stolen, and the U.S. Coast Guard wants the public’s helping tracking down whoever pulled off this “reckless act.”

Coast Guard investigators said one or more people broke into the privately owned Superior Entry Lighthouse on Wisconsin Point around May 13, severed the electricity and stole the navigational beacon housed inside.

The beacon, which the Coast Guard owns and was replaced about a week later, “is a critical piece of safety infrastructure that guides vessels safely into and out of the harbor, especially during the night and in poor weather conditions,” read a statement from the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) on June 2.

The statement emphasized that “this is not a simple property crime; it is a reckless act that immediately jeopardizes public safety. … Maritime aids to navigation function exactly like traffic lights and street signs on our roadways.”

While investigators attributed no incidents to the theft, the act created “a severe hazard” that could have led to life-threatening vessel collisions or grounding involving commercial mariners or recreational boaters, the CGIS noted.

A major incident can also lead to fuel spills and disruption to maritime commerce, the CGIS said.

Stealing or tampering with any navigational aid is a federal felony.

The CGIS is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. Information for investigators can be submitted here. Tips can remain anonymous.

The 56-foot lighthouse was built in 1913, a few years after a storm destroyed the previous one on Wisconsin Point. The red-roofed structure has a basement, a two-story main building that was used as living quarters, and a circular tower.

In 2019, the U.S. General Services Administration auctioned off the lighthouse to tech executive Steven Broudy of California for $159,000. It was among various properties relinquished by the federal government under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act.

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