DEL CITY, OK -- An unpatriotic thief is going around stealing American flags from the homes of Oklahoma veterans. Retired Army Sergeant Marcus Hill spent time twice in Iraq before he was injured. He retired from the military in June and moved to Del City. He says, "Luckily they had just remodeled this place and it was right next to my sister. I was stationed in Germany when she had my nephew and now she has her second child. So I'm right here. I get to see them every day."
But Hill didn't exactly get the welcome to the neighborhood he wanted.
Hill says, "Due to the fact that we still have troops down range, I wanted to fly my flag day and night until they all come home."
He was upset when he walked outside to check the mail and discovered someone took his flag in the middle of the night.
He says, "The flag was gone and I got mad."
Hill wasn't the only target.
Down the street, disabled Navy veteran Celestino Rodarte found his American and MIA-POW flags were gone too.
He says, "These are my flags, my country and you know, it just irritates me."
The curious thing is that nothing else was stolen, and that includes the American spirit.
Hill says, "My pride will never go away."
Rodarte adds, "We'll get more and fly them. We will."
Hill says he wanted to call police at first, but decided not to.
He didn't want to take up an officer's time for a stolen item that only costs $10.
But he wants everyone to remember the flag has much more than monetary value.
But Hill didn't exactly get the welcome to the neighborhood he wanted.
Hill says, "Due to the fact that we still have troops down range, I wanted to fly my flag day and night until they all come home."
He was upset when he walked outside to check the mail and discovered someone took his flag in the middle of the night.
He says, "The flag was gone and I got mad."
Hill wasn't the only target.
Down the street, disabled Navy veteran Celestino Rodarte found his American and MIA-POW flags were gone too.
He says, "These are my flags, my country and you know, it just irritates me."
The curious thing is that nothing else was stolen, and that includes the American spirit.
Hill says, "My pride will never go away."
Rodarte adds, "We'll get more and fly them. We will."
Hill says he wanted to call police at first, but decided not to.
He didn't want to take up an officer's time for a stolen item that only costs $10.
But he wants everyone to remember the flag has much more than monetary value.
