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Stolen American Flag, POW flag and engraved Veterans' plaque recovered thanks to surveillance video

Video shows suspect stealing flags from Boy Scout community project at Elk's Club

Stolen American Flag, POW flag and engraved Veterans' plaque recovered thanks to surveillance video

Video shows suspect stealing flags from Boy Scout community project at Elk's Club

EMOTIONAL NEWS. BOY SCOUT TROOP 109 RAISED AN AMERICAN AND A POW FLAG ON FLAG DAY AND THEN JTUS LAST WEEK COMPLETED A VERY SPECIAL VETERAN’S MEMORIAL AT THE BASE OF THE JUPITER ELKS CLUB FLAGPOLE A CONCEPT CONCEIVED BY STEVE BRANCAZIO SON THOMAS FOR HIS EAGLE SCOUT COMMUNITY PROJECT. HE WANTED TO MAKE A REFLECTION AREA FOR THE VETERANS. HE WANTED TO PUT AN AREA UNDERNEATH THE FLAGPOLE. SO I STILL GET EMOTIONAL. TO FOR THE VETERANS A PLACE TO SITND A THINK AND REFLECT THE ELK SUPPORT VETERANS AND DISADVANTAGE CHILDREN WITH NUMEROUS SVIERCE PROJECTS AND THEY ALSO SPONSOR TROOP 109 ANYTHING THAT THE COMMUNITY MAY NEED OR WE’RE THERE FOR THEM. THE SCOUTS WORKED HARD DIGGING UP A TREE LAYING OUT THE PATIO PLACING THE BENCH FLOWERS AND A PLAQUE ALL WITH MONEY. THEMSELVES AND THEY DID IT THEY DID THEY SPENT MANY HOURS PLANNING AND WORKING OUT. HE WAS HOT AND THEN ONE WEEK AFTE THER DEDICATION SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SUNDAY NIGHT CAUGHT THIS MAN RIDING UP IN THE DARKNESS GOING OUT OF SIGHT TO THE FLAGPOLE AND THEN RIDING AWAY WHIT TSE FHOLAGS AND THE FLAGS. ONE OF THEM WHICH FLEW OVER THE WHITE HOUSE WRONG, THIS IS WHERE THE PLAQUE WAS. THEY BROKE IT OFF. AND OBVIOUSLY THE FLAGPOLE’S EMPTY PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'’ DEPUTIES LOOKED AT THE SURVEILLANCE AND RECOGNIZED THE SUSPECTHO W THEY SAY CONFESSED. HE THROWN THE FLAGS INTO A CANAL BUT WASN'T’RESU WHERE ONE OF THE DEPUTIES SPENT THE DAY SEARCHING AND FALINLY FOUND TM HEDEPUTY MARK SMITH. I CAN’T I BIG SHOUTUT O TO HIM. HE DID A LOT OF WALKING TODAY TO GET THOSE FLAGS BACK FOR US AND I CAN’T THANK HIM ENOUGH AND STEVE FOUND THE PLAQUE THROWN INTO THE SWALE. AH, SO YOU GOT IT BACK AS FOR A MOTIVE. STEEV HAS NO IDEA BUT IS THANKFUL. HE CAN TELL THE SCOUTS THEIR VETERAN’MES MORIAL WILL BE REPLACED. AND JUST A WEEK OR
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Stolen American Flag, POW flag and engraved Veterans' plaque recovered thanks to surveillance video

Video shows suspect stealing flags from Boy Scout community project at Elk's Club

A stolen American flag, a POW flag and an engraved plaque at a veteran's memorial are back after surveillance video led deputies to the suspect.Boy Scout Troop 109 last week completed a special Veterans' memorial at the base of the Jupiter Elks Club flagpole — a concept conceived by Steve Brancazio’s son Thomas for his Eagle Scout community project."He wanted to put an area under the flagpole - see I still get emotional - for the veterans to sit and reflect," said Steve Brancazio, president of the Elk's Club.The latest: Utah police release body camera footage from weeks before Gabrielle Petito went missingThe Elks support veterans and disadvantaged children with numerous service projects, and they also sponsor Troop 109."Anything the community may need we are there for them," Brancazio said.The scouts worked hard digging up a tree, laying out a patio, placing a bench, flowers and a plaque — all with money they raised themselves."And they did it, they did it, they spent a lot of hours working on it and it was hot," Brancazio said.History in the making: Jupiter man travels to watch space launch — againAnd then one week after the dedication, surveillance cameras Sunday night caught a man riding a scooter in the darkness, going out of sight to the flagpole, and then riding away with the flags."The flags, one of which flew over the White House … gone. And this is where the plaque was — they broke it off and the flagpole’s empty," Brancazio said.Palm Beach County deputies looked at the surveillance and recognized the suspect, who Brancazio saidconfessed he’d thrown the flags into a canal, but wasn’t sure where. One of the deputies spent the day searching and finally found them."Deputy Mark Smith, a big shoutout to him, he did a lot of walking today to get those flags back to us, we can’t thank him enough — and in this heat, too," Brancazio said.Stay informed: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsBrancazio found the ripped-off plaque thrown into the swale along Indiantown Road.As for a motive, Brancazio has no idea, but is thankful he can tell the scouts their veteran’s memorial will be replaced.The troop will hold another public ceremony in the coming weeks.It is unclear if the sheriff's office is pursuing any charges against the suspect.

A stolen American flag, a POW flag and an engraved plaque at a veteran's memorial are back after surveillance video led deputies to the suspect.

Boy Scout Troop 109 last week completed a special Veterans' memorial at the base of the Jupiter Elks Club flagpole — a concept conceived by Steve Brancazio’s son Thomas for his Eagle Scout community project.

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"He wanted to put an area under the flagpole - see I still get emotional - for the veterans to sit and reflect," said Steve Brancazio, president of the Elk's Club.

The latest: Utah police release body camera footage from weeks before Gabrielle Petito went missing

The Elks support veterans and disadvantaged children with numerous service projects, and they also sponsor Troop 109.

"Anything the community may need we are there for them," Brancazio said.

The scouts worked hard digging up a tree, laying out a patio, placing a bench, flowers and a plaque — all with money they raised themselves.

"And they did it, they did it, they spent a lot of hours working on it and it was hot," Brancazio said.

History in the making: Jupiter man travels to watch space launch — again

And then one week after the dedication, surveillance cameras Sunday night caught a man riding a scooter in the darkness, going out of sight to the flagpole, and then riding away with the flags.

"The flags, one of which flew over the White House … gone. And this is where the plaque was — they broke it off and the flagpole’s empty," Brancazio said.

Palm Beach County deputies looked at the surveillance and recognized the suspect, who Brancazio saidconfessed he’d thrown the flags into a canal, but wasn’t sure where. One of the deputies spent the day searching and finally found them.

"Deputy Mark Smith, a big shoutout to him, he did a lot of walking today to get those flags back to us, we can’t thank him enough — and in this heat, too," Brancazio said.

Stay informed: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News

Brancazio found the ripped-off plaque thrown into the swale along Indiantown Road.

As for a motive, Brancazio has no idea, but is thankful he can tell the scouts their veteran’s memorial will be replaced.

The troop will hold another public ceremony in the coming weeks.

It is unclear if the sheriff's office is pursuing any charges against the suspect.