Authorities want to know if the flags that were burned last week were also stolen.

JONESBORO, Ark. – Police reports released Tuesday by the Jonesboro Police Department showed a particular case of interest from before the weekend.

Sometime before 6 PM on Friday, July 17, someone stole an American flag from a shop building at the 3600-block of Medallion Circle, a report filed online with JPD said. Sgt. Lyle Waterworth processed the report, which indicated a neighbors flag was also believed stolen.

“My suspicions are aroused, just like yours,” Waterworth told NEA Report. “But the timeline needs to be narrowed.”

The report indicating the discovery of the theft happened at 6 PM. That was about 12 hours after Paul Jay DeFord stopped a flag burning at the intersection of Highland Drive and Red Wolf Boulevard.

We reached out to DeFord again Tuesday afternoon. Coincidentally, he said a flag theft victim contacted his wife and told her he thought the flags burned were his. He believed the theft happened sometime that morning, too.

DeFord thinks the flags that were burned were stolen.

“I’m sure they didn’t buy themselves,” DeFord said.

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If you have information about the flag thefts, including any possible security camera footage from the area worthy of note, contact JPD online here. Or at 870-935-5657.

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“Not On My Watch”

When we spoke to DeFord shortly before 3 PM Tuesday, he discussed how the outpouring of support had been overwhelming.

“Ninety-percent of the people have said, ‘Thank you sir,'” DeFord said. “My Facebook messages have been blowing up with messages from veterans, widowed wives, marine moms who lost their kid, all kinds of messages that were touching really.”

Jonesboro responded to the flag burning display in a positive way on Saturday. Sparked by a call to action by local resident and Diego Ranch owner Michael Jackson, patriotic patrons filled the old-Sears parking lot to show love for the American flag. From horseback to Humvee, the community showed that far more here have love for the American symbol than those who don’t.

A post by Jim Stainer showing several photos of the event has since been shared over 5,500 times.