COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — A man was arrested for felony petit theft after a U.S. flag, along with the cable from the flagpole, was stolen from Baker’s Communication in Columbia County, says the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
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According to CCSO, deputies met with the owners of Baker’s Communication on March 4, after a report of their U.S. flag being stolen. The owner, Douglas Baker, noticed his flag was missing when he arrived at work around 8 a.m.
Deputies say that, after reviewing the security camera footage, they saw an unknown man on a bicycle enter the property around 3 a.m. and cut the cable from the flagpole. The suspect removed the cable and flag and cycled away 5 minutes later.
On March 5, Corporal Douglas conducted business checks on SW Main following a recent theft at Baker’s Communication. While he was in the area, he saw a person on a bicycle matching the description in the surveillance video.
62-year-old John Allen Bethune told deputies that he took the flag from Baker’s Communication, and a flag was found in the bags. Bethune was arrested for felony petit theft due to previous convictions for the same in Santa Rosa County.
When deputies attempted to return the flag, Baker’s Communication informed them that it was not their flag because it had a different colored cable. A search warrant was obtained for Bethune’s apartment, and deputies found several U.S. flags and cables.
Baker’s Communication was found and returned following the search. The other flag Bethune had on person was from another business north of Baker’s, who reported their flag taken on February 22. That flag was also returned along with another flag.
Bethune was booked into the Columbia County Detention Facility and is being held without bond.
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