Residents report flags, political signs damaged or stolen in Palatine

Editor's note: this story was updated to say the reports came from several areas in the village.

There have been five police reports of flags and political signs - two from the same property - damaged or stolen since mid-September in Palatine.

All but one had a conservative bent. The reports came from several areas in the village.

Police don't believe all the incidents are connected, Sgt. Bruce Morris said. Officers recovered video showing one of the thefts but the image quality is not clear enough.

"Unfortunately this is something that happens every election cycle," he said.

The first report was made Sept. 14 by a resident on the 1200 block of North Rohlwing Road who said someone broke a flagpole with a Donald Trump flag attached to his garage. The flag was left on the driveway, and the damage was estimated at $300.

A resident on the 800 block of North Auburn Woods Drive reported that three signs for Republican candidates in the Nov. 3 election were stolen Sept. 20. The same resident reported two additional signs stolen from the property Sept. 27, one supporting Republican candidates and one sign opposing the Fair Tax amendment.

A resident in the 0-100 block of Aldridge Avenue reported the theft Sept. 26 of two political signs asking to "vote Republican" and "defund the Left." The resident's security camera showed a woman taking the signs but the video was not very clear, a police report says.

Resident Mike Colby reported Sept. 27 that two days earlier someone tore down a flag mount with a "thin red flag" attached to the house. Colby said he bought a new mount and rehung the flag, which expresses support for firefighters.

Colby, whose son works as a firefighter/paramedic in Detroit, said he believes someone mistook his flag for a "thin blue line" flag expressing support for police.

"The Republicans have adopted, to a certain degree, the 'blue line' flag. My guess somebody saw (my) flag and it was dark ... and mistook it," he said.

Colby said he retired from working in law enforcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and considers himself "bipartisan and left of center." He condemned anyone who tears down flags or political signs, no matter their political stance.

"It's not what we are about," he said. "We're a country where, OK, we don't have to like each other, but respect each other."