Provincial police in Oxford are investigating another theft of a Pride flag in Norwich.
Two people went to a home on Stover Street and removed the flag, damaging the frame it was attached to around 2:50 a.m. on Sunday.
The homeowner tried to stop the theft, but the suspects ran to a nearby vehicle and took off, police said.
The involved vehicle is described as a blue coloured pickup truck.
Investigators are reviewing video surveillance to try to identify suspects.
This is the second straight week that Pride flags, which represent and support members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, have been either damaged or stolen from homes in the small town. Between June 9 and 13, rainbow flags were snatched from residences on Stover Street, Maple Dell Road, and Norwich Road, with all of the thefts happening during the evening hours, police said.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Anti-Pride sentiment has been rising in Norwich since last year when numerous Pride flags and banners were stolen or destroyed. Those incidents led to two people being arrested, however, charges against them were later dropped. In a move that seemed to only make matters worse, Norwich Township's council decided earlier this year against proclaiming June as Pride month and passed a controversial bylaw banning non-government flags, including Pride flags, from being flown on municipal property.
Anyone with information about these thefts is asked to call police at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
