Here’s what about Crow’s Nest: He’s always been kind of a public trust, especially since he starred in the 2000 movie “The Perfect Storm”.

There is no wider open door policy in town and owners Mary Anne Shatford and Gregg Sousa have amassed significant goodwill. They actively take care of their customers. They organize free meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They open their doors when the Gloucester fishing community loses one of its own.

And, of course, visitors come from the vast expanses of the republic to experience real-world inspiration for Gloucester’s beloved long-lasting celluloid bar.

They roam the three walls of photos and works of art centered on fishing. They hang out with the regulars, listen to the stories, maybe blow a couple’s moss and browse a collection of rare photos that provide the visual link for the Nest’s unique tale.

The collection, known simply as the “The Album” behind closed doors, resides under the bar and is accessible to everyone.

Well, it was. And that brings us to the disheartening thing about audiences: you can’t always trust some of them.

At around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, according to Shatford, someone left with the album. Embezzlement is suspected.

“It’s so disappointing,” said Shatford, owner of the bar with her husband, Sousa. “People all over the world watched this album.”

Had he been missing before?

“No,” she said. “Never.”

How many hands have held this album and flipped through the pages and, by extension, the history of the Nest?

“There must be thousands of them,” Sousa said on Monday. “I was hoping that when I got there this morning I would find him sitting on one of the benches up front. “

Alas no.

The album contains dozens of photos, including rare footage from the set of “The Perfect Storm” and its star-filled cast.

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane et al. They were there, as were the Gloucester sets.

“I decided to put them on an album right after the movie was released,” Shatford said. “People had started to come in who were curious about us and the film. “

The album also served as an illustrated memory for legendary regulars who climbed the stools at the Rogers Street bar that always seemed to be a cross between a neighborhood tavern and Sherman and Mr. Peabody’s Wayback Machine.

Wally and Red are there, along with Murph, Skrobie and Ozie.

“We had a lot of pictures of deceased friends,” Shatford said. “If anyone who has contributed to the album over the years still has the negatives of the photos they contributed, we hope they will contact us.”

For now, clues are scarce. The owners are watching surveillance video. The Crow’s Nest Nation is on high alert. Shatford said the last patrons remembered to see the album were two stranger couples sitting at the end of the bar. Unfortunately, they paid in cash.

On Sunday evening, Shatford posted an article about the disappearance on Facebook:

“I’m so disappointed with the people who stole our Crow’s Nest album,” part of the post read. “We hope that it could have been taken by mistake or by farce and that it will be returned. If you have any information, please let us know. “

The post, late Monday afternoon, had been shared 84 times and attracted nearly 100 comments – including many who came to the Nest and leafed through the album.

“One guy said we should give a reward and he would contribute,” Shatford said. “I get sad reading the comments because it just reminds me of how many people enjoyed it.”

Contact Sean Horgan at 978-675-2714, or [email protected] Follow him on Twitter at @SeanGDT.