Tom GantertPasco, WA – The parents of a 13-year-old Pasco boy called police and turned in their son after they saw a picture of him vandalizing Trump 2020 campaign flags on the news.
The incident occurred at about 3:40 a.m. on Oct. 1 in the 5000-block of Arthur Lane, KVEW reported.
The Pasco Police Department said the victim’s home security cameras captured footage of the suspect pulling two flags that showed support for President Donald Trump’s re-election down from a house.
Then the video showed the suspect tore the flags up and dropped them on the ground.
Police released the video of the incident with close-up still photos and asked the public for help to identify the culprit, who could face charges for trespassing and vandalism, KEPR reported.
That’s when the suspect’s parents contacted police and told them their 13-year-old son was the vandal in the pictures.
Police said the suspect’s parents were respectful and apologetic and promised their son would replace the flags and issue an apology, KVEW reported.
The parents told police they were using they experience as a teachable moment for their son, KEPR reported.
The 13 year old could still face criminal charges in the incident, KVEW reported.
National stories about people stealing Trump 2020 campaign signs and flags have become a daily occurrence.
A couple from New Jersey were charged with stealing two Trump campaign signs in Maine, according to FOX News.
Its 1am and these people are stealing my Trump and Support law enforcement signs in Denmark Maine. Sheriff was able to locate and charge the 25 yr olds from NJ. @realDonaldTrump @DonaldJTrumpJr @CLewandowski_ @GovMikeHuckabee @BillHemmer @BillOReilly pic.twitter.com/AqPq14IVXt
— Chuck Flahive (@ChuckFlahive) October 4, 2020
Chuck Flahive said the suspects also stole his sign that showed support for law enforcement.
Police issued citations to 25-year-old Christopher Svetik and 24-year-old Naomi Touchstone for allegedly stealing the signs, FOX News reported.
“When I first saw the video, I was shocked, because in all the years we’ve been here, we’ve never had any incidents like that,” Flahive told FOX News. “We’ve never had anything stolen, we’ve never had anyone come on our property uninvited. So to see someone get out, and take my property and put in their car and leave, was very upsetting.”
Police in Lake Mary, Florida are blaming a TikTok challenge for a spike in recent Trump campaign sign theft in their area, WOFL reported.
Lake Mary Officer Zach Hudson said investigators figured out what was going on after they interviewed a suspect in another town who explained the social media challenge.
“That suspect says, she’s been doing this, because of a TikTok challenge to steal Donald Trump signs,” Officer Hudson explained. “And that’s actually what’s going on. They create a video of them taking the signs and sometimes it’s a matter of how many signs they can take, over the course of the night.”
Lake Mary police want to know who this woman is. They say she stole a bunch of Trump campaign signs off private property.#Fox35 @fox35orlando pic.twitter.com/Qnx8o3t7E6
— Valerie Boey FOX 35 (@vboey) October 7, 2020
Officer Hudson said at least two-dozen Trump signs and a Trump flag have recently been stolen in Lake Mary, WOFL reported.
The signs that have been disappearing in that area cost $10 and police said stealing them could get the thief time behind bars.
“If you’re doing this, you can spend 6 months in jail. Just because TikTok is suggesting you do this, is not a good idea. It is a crime to take someone else’s property,” Officer Hudson told WOFL.
Holly Matkin
