ODENTON, Md. — The sign reads ‘They stole our banner, but not our love for the community.'
It’s a message of defiance after a suspect was caught on camera stealing rainbow-colored hearts surrounding an LGBTQ+ sign outside the Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church in Odenton.
“It’s a distraction. It’s annoying,” said Pastor Tim Stern, “People who have experienced trauma feel re-traumatized, but they steal the banners (and) 24 hours later, we have a new one up there.”
In fact, police believe that same person that stole six hearts on Tuesday night returned the next night and stole their replacements.
“The property installed cameras and those cameras captured images of a subject, an unknown race male with wide-rimmed, black glasses and a buttoned-up, collared shirt,” said Anne Arundel County Police Cpl. Chris Anderson.
Hearing of the thefts, a group of children who attend classes at the church each week used sidewalk chalk to decorate its entrance in support of its members and its messages.
Words like love, pride and acceptance in the face of crimes, which would deny all three.
“Since March 31, we’ve had nine incidents of theft and/or vandalism,” said Stern, “Banners have been destroyed. Banners have been defaced and we even had cameras out there that were stolen.”
Police are investigating these as possible hate crimes and if you have any information, which could help lead them to the suspect, you can call their tip line at 410-222-6155.
