For second year in a row, LGBTQ flags stolen in Boise during Pride Month, police say

For the second year in a row, Pride Flags have been stolen in Boise during Pride Month, according to Boise police.

The colorful flags – which represent LGBTQ pride – line Harrison Boulevard in the North End during June. On Thursday, Boise police announced in a news release that 35 flags were missing or damaged.

“Our officers will not tolerate any crime that targets or makes someone feel targeted because of who they are or who they choose to love,” Boise Police Deputy Chief Tammany Brooks said in the release.

The flag thefts are under investigation, according to police, and officers have asked homeowners along the boulevard to review surveillance footage for possible suspects.

The flags are the property of the Pride Foundation and are put up in coordination with the North End Neighborhood Association.

It is unclear when the flags were stolen, according to the release. “Varying reports” indicate they may have been grabbed on Monday night or on Tuesday night, the release said.

While 21 missing flags and one damaged flag were noted on Wednesday, an additional 14 were counted missing Thursday morning, the release said.

Residents with knowledge of the incident are asked to contact police. Boiseans interested in reporting a crime against the LGBTQ+ community are asked to call 911, and residents can also contact the Police Department’s LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer, Dan Lister, at dlister@cityofboise.org.

Last year, over two dozen pride flags were stolen from the same area, and an 18-year-old was arrested, later pleaded guilty to a withheld judgment and was sentenced to 10 days in jail. A withheld judgment allows a defendant to plead guilty without a judge entering a conviction, according to a local law firm.