Police investigating Pride flag thefts from Columbus homes
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Residents in the German Village section of Columbus are looking for answers after several homeowners woke up Sunday to find their Pride flags stolen.
The thefts were caught on several home security systems.
Residents in the neighborhood said so many in German Village place a Pride flag outside of their homes as a way to celebrate Pride Month and show their support of their LGBTQ+ neighbors, but many in the neighborhood said showing pride and support is more important after what they called a calculated act.
“I’m sad, disappointed, I’m angry, just a whole bunch of different things,” German Village resident Normal Hall said.
Hall said there’s simply something special about his neighborhood. Not just the charm, but the inclusivity often shared by the hanging of Pride flags.
“It’s such a beautiful neighborhood, but even more than the beauty and all the brick, it’s the neighbors,” he said.
But early Sunday morning, home security cameras were rolling as several flags and, in some cases, even the poles holding them were ripped from the front of German Village homes.
“Around 2:30 this morning, a van pulled out, the kid got out, went up and ripped the flag off and took it and ripped off the pole, left the pole in the middle of the street and then they drove off,” Hall said.
It was the same story a few blocks down South 5th Street at another home. Just minutes before Hall’s camera began rolling, another home security camera was activated at the home of Tyler Mason and Anthony Meyer, catching the suspect going as far as hopping the fence of their property and then jumping on the porch to grab their flag.
“I’m a veteran, an Eagle Scout,” Meyer said. “Like, a flag, in general, it’s who you are.”
Several homeowners in the area have filed police reports, hoping that a collective response would nudge Columbus police to pursue the case.
And while these homeowners are disappointed, they aren’t discouraged and plan to replace the stolen signs of support as soon as they can.
“Everyone as a community was like, ‘OK, well, my flag, my new flag will be here tomorrow,’ so I think we’re kind of rise up above this and know that it’s an isolated incident and certainly we’ve, in the four years we’ve been here, we’ve never had, like, that happen before,” resident Matt Toopes said.
The Columbus Division of Police said the incidents are being investigated and have not released any further information.
Store owner helps out
As the neighbors of German Village continue to look for answers, a central Ohio business is stepping up to help those residents.
A representative from the Flag Lady Store heard about the thefts and has connected with one of the homeowners to distribute replacement flags for free.
Harrison Watson, COO of Flag Lady USA, said he was disappointed to hear what happened and wanted to do what he could to help.
"From our perspective, our family just wants to be able to be as supportive as possible of everyone in the community and this was an easy way for us to be able to support some friends and the whole German Village area, to donate some flags and also offer discounts on our website," he said.
Watson said anyone in the neighborhood still in need will be given a discount code to put toward a replacement Pride flag.