Police are seeking the public’s help in the investigation into the theft of an Israeli flag over the weekend, while it was being displayed on a truck parked on Winnacunnet Road.
Hampton police Capt. Anthony Azarian said about a week after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, former selectman Phil Bean draped both an American flag and the white and blue Israeli flag over the side of his 1987 green Dodge pick-up truck. The vehicle was parked in front of the Hampton Fire Department, across and up the street from Bean’s insurance agency.
Sometime between Friday night, Nov. 3, and before 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov 4, the Israeli flag disappeared, and Bean reported the incident to Hampton police, Azarian said.
“In Mr. Bean’s statement to us when making the incident report, he mentioned his belief that this was a hate crime,” Azarian said.
Azarian said no witnesses have come forward, but police are hoping there could be surveillance footage available that may help with the investigation.
“We are continuing to proactively locate any surveillance footage that may have captured the incident in an effort to establish any investigative leads regarding the identity of any person or persons of interest,” Azarian said. “We encourage anyone with any video evidence from security cameras, ring cameras, et cetera, or with any other information that may assist us in identifying the responsible party to share this information with us.”