NORTH OGDEN, Utah — A giant flag used in local parades was stolen from a North Ogden foundation honoring a fallen soldier.
The Major Brent Taylor Foundation posted a plea on its Facebook page asking people to help find the 30-foot by 60-foot American flag stolen from its trailer over the weekend.
The foundation was created to honor the legacy of Maj. Brent Taylor, who died in 2018 in Afghanistation while serving as a member of the Utah National Guard.
According to the post, the flag was swiped from the trailer which was packed with the large flag and 250 smaller flags that were going to be set up Saturday morning at the funeral services for a fallen Marine from West haven.
“We need that flag. We’ve got things coming up where we’re planning to use it," said Jennie Taylor, the widow of Maj. Brent Taylor. "Labor Day’s right around the corner, 9-11 right after that. We use those flags on a regular basis."
Early Saturday, foundation members found the lock had been removed from the trailer and the giant flag was missing.
“It’s not so much the physical price tag, which is about $1,500," Jennie Taylor said. "It’s more the sentimental and symbolism of what this piece of fabric really is.”
The theft has left Jennie Taylor and others wondering who would have done this and why.
"Perhaps someone took it as a prank," the foundation's social media post read. "Perhaps someone was looking for valuable power tools or something else they could sell for money, or who knows."
Jennie Taylor also told FOX 13 News that perhaps the thief thought they were stealing power tools, because the flag was contained in a DeWalt storage case.
Despite the loss of the large flag, foundation members were still able to set up the 250 remaining 3-foot by 5-foot flags at Saturday's funeral.
Anyone who sees the flag or the case it was stored in is asked to call the foundation or call the North Ogden City Police Department.
