US Coast Guard Offers Reward after Theft of Navigational Beacon Creates Major Maritime Safety Risk in Wisconsin Harbor
The U.S. Coast Guard has announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for stealing a critical navigational beacon from the Superior Entry Lighthouse, an incident that has raised serious concerns about maritime safety, vessel navigation, and port operations in the Great Lakes region.
According to the Coast Guard, an unidentified suspect broke into the Superior Entry Lighthouse on Wisconsin Point on May 13 and removed the flashing green navigational beacon that guides vessels entering and leaving the harbor at Superior, Wisconsin. The lighthouse is located on a breakwater protecting the entrance to Superior Bay, a vital maritime gateway serving commercial shipping traffic between Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota.
The harbor channel is a key route for Great Lakes shipping, supporting the movement of bulk cargoes including grain and iron ore through major port terminals. Maritime authorities warned that the loss of the beacon has created a dangerous navigational hazard for commercial vessels and recreational boaters operating in the area.
While the lighthouse structure itself is privately owned, the navigational light belongs to the U.S. Coast Guard. The stolen equipment was a flashing green beacon that replaced the lighthouse’s original Fresnel lens system, which was retired decades ago. Investigators said the suspect forced entry into the lighthouse, cut the power cable, and removed the beacon.
Because the navigational aid is federal property, the theft is classified as a federal felony.
“The removal of this navigational beacon creates a severe hazard that could lead to catastrophic vessel collisions or groundings,” the Coast Guard stated. “Such accidents pose a direct, life-threatening danger to commercial mariners and local recreational boaters.”
The Coast Guard further warned that a major maritime incident in the area could result in significant environmental consequences, including fuel spills, while also disrupting the daily flow of critical maritime commerce and shipping activities through the port.
Authorities are urging mariners, waterfront residents, and local communities to provide any information that may assist the investigation. Witnesses who observed suspicious individuals, vehicles, or unusual activity around Wisconsin Point on or near May 13 are encouraged to contact the Coast Guard.
Officials noted that the stolen flashing green beacon is a distinctive, barrel-shaped navigational aid that would likely be easily recognized if offered for resale. The Coast Guard has not identified a clear commercial market or private-use value for the equipment.
The investigation remains ongoing as federal authorities work to recover the beacon and restore full navigational safety at one of the Great Lakes’ important commercial shipping entrances.
Read:US Coast Guard Intercepts Eight Stowaways on Cargo Barge Arriving in Puerto Rico from Florida
