CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — Leaders from the Church of the Savior mentioned they’ve needed to get inventive to outsmart thieves which have focused its LGBTQ+ delight flag in current weeks.
The church payments itself as a progressive congregation that affirms individuals from various backgrounds together with gender identification and sexual orientation.
Damon Smith, church trustee, mentioned he joined the church only a few months in the past and was upset it didn’t show a delight flag as a result of they’d been regularly stolen previously.
Smith mentioned he bought a flag and mounting equipment, affixing each to the church’s primary log out Little Elm Path a couple of month in the past. Since then, the flag has been stolen 4 instances, the newest going down simply this week.
The Cedar Park Police Division confirmed this final theft was reported and it’s conscious of the repeat flag thefts on the church.
Smith mentioned the flag has been recovered every time because of new measures he put in place, however declined to say simply how he tracks the flags as soon as they’re taken. He did say he makes use of motion-activated safety cameras to catch thieves once they strike.
“I’ve got a flag recovery rate of 100%,” Smith mentioned.
Upon these recoveries, Smith and Rev. Dr. Mark Dowell mentioned the motivations behind the thefts have been completely different every time.
Smith mentioned one was a gaggle of boys that stole the flag on a dare, one other was an grownup man that took it as a result of he disagrees with what the flag represents and mentioned it clashes along with his Christian beliefs.
Dowell mentioned he’d just like the thefts cease, however in the end needs to make sure the church’s progressive message isn’t overshadowed by hate.
“You are welcome here. So it’s not about us just being this or that, it’s about everybody is welcome,” Dowell mentioned.
Dowell and Smith mentioned they assume thefts have picked up in current weeks due to the visibility created for the LGBTQ group throughout Pleasure month.
Dowell mentioned the church has been vandalized previously for it’s beliefs, and if that occurs once more or these thefts don’t cease, the church will take into account urgent prison expenses.
“Well bless their hearts.”
