A relic of America's naval history has been stolen.

Somehow, a team of thieves broke and later made off with a giant metal ring weighing more than a ton from a public park Friday night, officials believe.

The giant brass ring was once used to port torpedoes on the USS Maine, a battleship that sank in Havana harbor in 1898, helping draw the United States into the Spanish-American War.

The ring was standing in concrete and had been broken off last week, according to Parks and Recreation employee Stephanie Benavidez.

"We lose enough history as it is "... when structures are torn down as the population grows, and we need to accommodate it," Benavidez said. "We may not be in agreement with war, but people sacrificed their lives, and some things should be left untouched."...