Mechanical components worth $175,000 were stolen at Morey’s Piers Ferris wheel work site
The theft brings an “unexpected and disappointing setback” to the Ferris wheel renovation project.
While Morey’s Piers iconic Ferris wheel is undergoing much-needed renovations in the South Philadelphia Navy Yard, thieves snuck into a temporary work site at the Wildwood theme park to steal mechanical components from the beloved ride.
Geoff Rogers, chief operating officer at Morey’s Piers, said while work crews remain optimistic, the stolen materials, valued at more than $175,000, bring an “unexpected and disappointing setback” to the project.
“We are heartbroken by this incident,” Rogers said. “The Giant Wheel holds deep sentimental value for not only the company and our team members, but the generations of families who have made memories on it.”
Despite the theft, Rogers said that the planned renovation should be complete by the start of the 2026 summer season, as originally planned.
The Giant Wheel, a 156-foot LED-lit Ferris wheel and one of the tallest at the Jersey Shore, is disassembled, repaired, and repainted regularly, but this year’s renovation required transportation to the Navy Yard to work on its 16,000-pound centerpiece.
Designed by Dutch ride manufacturer Vekoma and installed in 1985, the Giant Wheel has been a recognizable symbol of the Wildwood skylines for decades. In 2012, they upgraded it with an LED light system.
After last year’s closures of Gillian’s Wonderland in Ocean City and Splash Zone Water Park, Morey’s Piers are the last beachside water parks and one of the Jersey Shore’s remaining large-scale Ferris wheels.