Tourist left historic lighthouse with 155-year-old doorknob in his shorts, GA cops say
Police said they plan to charge a man accused of taking a 155-year-old doorknob from the historic Tybee Island Lighthouse in coastal Georgia.
The man, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was arrested in Indiana on Wednesday, one week after authorities say he stole the hardware from a door at the top of the 145-foot tower.
A volunteer group associated with the lighthouse noticed the knob was missing on June 3, and offered to let the accused thief return it with “no questions asked,” according to a news release. They contacted police after no one came forward.
A review of the lighthouse’s surveillance showed the man snatching the brass knob from the door’s exterior and sticking it in the front pocket of his shorts before leaving. Police posted the still image online, where it was shared nearly 3,000 times and garnered an abundance of tips in just 24 hours.
One of those tips led police to Greene County, Indiana, where the man lives.
Deputies with the local sheriff’s department went to the man’s home Wednesday and recovered the stolen doorknob, according to Tybee police. Charges against him are now pending.
Arrangements have since been made to have the knob sent back to Tybee Island.
“While it may seem like just a doorknob to some, to all those who love Tybee, it’s an important piece of the island’s history,” police said in a statement. “We’d love to see it back in its rightful home.”
This story was originally published June 10, 2021 at 10:33 AM with the headline "Tourist left historic lighthouse with 155-year-old doorknob in his shorts, GA cops say."