LEWES, Del. - Is it simply missing or the victim of a historic heist? The cannonball in the Lewes Cannonball House was reported gone on Friday afternoon.
The Lewes Police Department posted photographs of the missing cannonball.
The home was scarred by cannon fire in spring of 1813, when Lewes was bombarded during the War of 1812. According to the Lewes Historical Society, the cannonball in question was lodged into the building's foundation.
The Lewes Historical Society says the Cannonball House is one of the most noteworthy landmarks in Lewes, along with the Zwaanendael Museum. Executive Director of the Historical Society, Andrew Lyter, said,"I would absolutely love to find out that it fell out of the wall and somebody picked it up and it gets returned but I doubt that's the situation here sadly so we'll hope the Lewes PD can do their best and go from there."
Lewes Police say the cannonball is missing and possibly stolen. In the same statement, police asked if this was related to a case that also caused a stir in town: when an elderly gentleman stole artwork from the Lewes Public Library.
People living in Lewes are devastated to see such an important piece of history disappear, "It's troublesome to me that it would actually go missing and if it was actually stolen that would be really disheartening, that people would actually do something like that, if it was an act of vandalism or theft." said local Paul Evalds.
They are asking people to contact them with tips at 302-645-6264.