Wilmington community rallies to replace stolen flags

WILMINGTON POLICE CHIEF Joe Mitchell (third from left) contributed to the Moose Riders in their efforts to replace flags missing from the Kankakee River bridge. Thanking the chief are Moose Riders (from left) Joe Casteel, alderman Thomas Smith, Owen Ault, Keith Selucky and Dar Casteel. Photo provided.

By: 
STAFF REPORT

One week after 26 flags were stolen or tossed off the bridge over the Kankakee River in Wilmington, the local community has come together to bring Old Glory back.

Over the past week, local residents, civic groups and businesses have collected funds to help the Wilmington Moose Riders replace the flags that went missing over Memorial Day Weekend.

Moose Riders chapter for the Wilmington Lodge has been placing the flags during patriotic weekends and events since 2018.

But within just a few days of the flags going missing, the community collected almost $2,000, enough to place an order for new flags.

“I did not expect the wonderful response shown,” commented Owen Ault, chairman of the Moose Riders. “We are grateful to the businesses who have so generously given, to alderman Thomas Smith who reached out to those businesses, and to the community as a whole. It’s a good feeling when strangers give up their money for our cause in replacing the flags.”

The flags were reported missing on Sunday, May 29, one day after the members of the Wilmington Moose Lodge Riders had placed them along the bridge’s walkway.

Shortly after the report, four flags were discovered in the river.

As word quickly spread, Smith started making phone calls determined to come up with the first $2,000 needed for replacements. By Tuesday morning he reached his goal and Ault said other donations will help fund a locking mechanism for each flag pole.

“The problem right now is it may take two to three months before we’ll see them,” Ault noted. “The veteran-owned facility we ordered them from said there were 600 orders in front of our’s so it will be a while.”

Ault said the Moose Riders will still put up flags for the holidays, like upcoming Flag Day on June 14, but there won’t be enough to cover the entire bridge until their order comes in.

The investigation into the missing flags has produced little information so far.

“We’ve flown the drone and we’ve done a neighborhood canvas, we’re not seeing anything yet,” Wilmington Police Chief Joe Mitchell reported on Monday. “Somebody could have pulled up on that bridge and in a mater of minutes, grabbed the flags or threw them in the river just that quick. We’re still running down things, but it’s not been a fruitful effort with many leads.”

Mitchell noted that the lack of any video surveillance at the bridge and what was likely a late night removal of the flags has left investigators with little to go on.

The Wilmington Police Department was one of several organizations to donate funds to replace the flags.

The investigation remains active. Anyone with information on the missing flags can contact the Wilmington Police Department at 815-476-2811.