LIBERTY, Mo. — Police are looking for a brazen thief accused of stealing American flags from businesses in the Liberty area.
The department released surveillance pictures of the man and his red truck.
Investigators said the man walked up to two businesses in the Heartland Meadows Industrial Park and stole the flags that were displayed on tall poles directly in front of the buildings.
The industrial park is located at Heartland Drive and U.S. Highway 69 in Liberty.
“The American flag definitely very honorable thing,” Axiom Impressions CFO Chris Mikuls said. “So, it seems like an odd thing to steal. Seems very dishonorable.”
Mikuls said their flag was stolen in late April. Police said the most recent was stolen in the last week and a half.
“It’s strange why someone would steal American flags,” Capt. Nathan Mulch said. These are large on large poles in front of predominant businesses
and the person is going up, stealing them at night and throwing them in the back of his truck and just driving off.”
Mulch said one other business has filed a report of a stolen flag, but they believe three or four more flags were stolen from tall poles.
“I’m guessing 30-40 foot poles,” Mulch said.
Mikuls said the thief also took their Axiom flag. His team wants to know why?
“I think we were just kind of baffled by it,” Mikuls said. “What an odd thing to steal. I guess, maybe they sell them or something? Otherwise, if you have a neighbor with a lot of flags out, you might know what they’re doing as a side gig.”
They said these flags run about 120 bucks and Axiom bought a lock for the flag pole to prevent future theft.
“Hopefully they find the person who is doing this because it’s just the wrong thing to do,” Mikuls said.
While officers have only taken reports of two stolen flags this month, the department said it believes the thief has stolen others. The other thefts just haven’t been reported.
Anyone who can help police identify the man who is accused of stealing flags is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
