Wildwood man accused of stealing Ferris wheel parts after blasting park over safety

✅Police say a man stole metal meant for the Giant Wheel at Morey’s Piers

✅The theft happened over several days during restoration work, according to police

✅A Facebook post suggests safety concerns, resentment toward the park’s owners

WILDWOOD — A man charged with stealing a large amount of metal being used to restore the Ferris wheel at Morey's Piers over several days may have had a grudge with the owners of the park.

Wildwood police said William Morelli, 67, of Wildwood Crest, removed 141 pieces of metal from the beach area of Adventure Pier during four days in January. He sold the metal to a scrap yard business, which in turn sent the items to another location to be melted down, police said. Morelli is charged with theft of movable property.

The metal was stolen from a temporary work area next to the Giant Wheel, according to Wildwood Video Archive. Parts of the wheel were laid out in the sand, including giant bolts and 30-foot-long wheel spokes. The wheel itself is being sandblasted at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

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Pier gets 'special treatment?'

According to a screenshot of a post purported to be written by Morelli on the Watch the Tram Car Please page on Facebook, he had concerns about the Ferris wheel project.

"They pay no attention to the clean preservation of lands, equipment, the reusing of decaying hulks of metal and end of life debris” he said, adding that they did not put any kind of caution signage or fencing around the "death material" on the beach.

The attorney listed in court records as defending him against the charges did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for comment on Friday.

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Restoration work is disrupted but still on schedule

Chief Operating Officer George Rogers said an estimated $175,000 worth of material being used to restore the 156-foot-tall Giant Wheel was stolen, which represents "an unexpected and disappointing setback to the project." But everyone involved with the refurbishment is working toward keeping the project moving forward and on track, according to Rogers.

“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. While this theft has presented a challenge, it does not change our commitment to completing this project on schedule.”

Rogers said that the refurbishment of the Ferris wheel began after the 2025 season and represented a "significant investment" in the park's future in terms of its infrastructure and safety.

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