Allen Iverson has $500,000 worth of jewelry stolen from Philadelphia hotel, according to police

The thief swiped a backpack that contained Iverson's jewelry

Police are actively searching for a suspect that stole a backpack from former Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson in a Center City hotel on Monday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The backpack contained around $500,000 in jewelry.

The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the Philadelphia Sofitel hotel. Iverson was not present at the time the bag was stolen. Police are hoping that the public will be able to help authorities apprehend the suspect. A surveillance image of the alleged thief has been released. He's described as a 20-year old black male and was seen wearing a dark jacket, red shirt, dark pants and black and white sneakers. 

It is not clear why the retired Sixers star was at the hotel, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Iverson spent 11 of his 14 seasons as a member of the Sixers. Philadelphia selected him with the top pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and he went on to lead the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance in 2001. Iverson also appeared in 11 All-Star Games, won the league MVP in 2001, and was a four-time NBA scoring champion.

The former star guard is frequently spotted attending Sixers games in Philadelphia.