Historic bell missing, believed to be stolen, from South Jersey firehouse
Officials say the bell weighs a few hundred pounds, and they used a front-end loader to move it to the other side of the building.
PLEASANTVILLE, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The Pleasantville Fire Department in Atlantic County, New Jersey is hoping to recover one of its oldest tools: the department's original bell, cast in 1903 by the Buckeye Bell Foundry.
Officials believe the historic bell was stolen.
"I would say the bell is irreplaceable. It's one of a kind. It's tied to our fire department," said Battalion Chief Eric Moran. "It was used to alert firefighters and local residents that a fire was happening or to come to the firehouse."
With the development of sirens, the bell was no longer needed but remained at the firehouse on Washington Avenue in Pleasantville.
Recently, the department added a new hydrant out front and temporarily moved the bell.
"We placed it in the back alley, covered it, thinking it was going to be in a safe area," said Moran.
When firefighters who were planning a new memorial went back to measure it this week, it was gone.
Moran says the bell weighs a few hundred pounds, and they used a front-end loader just to move it to the other side of the building.
A trail of leaves and dirt is left now from where it was taken.
"You can see where they started and the direction that they went in," said Moran.
Action News spoke with Paul Ashe, director of the National Bell Festival Organization in Washington, D.C.
He says a few times a year, he hears about bells going missing.
He says this bell was likely made of bronze, which contains copper and tin.
"Those are very valuable materials. Kind of raw commodities," said Ashe. "And I imagine that might be a motivating factor by the person or group of people that commandeered this bell."
Moran says the fire department has been in touch with local scrap yards to tell them to be on the lookout.
The Pleasantville Police Department, which happens to be right next door, is investigating and going through surveillance video.
"Hopefully out of the kindness of their heart it shows up," said Moran. "Or somebody tips us off where we can go get it."
