Police search for suspects after thieves steal veteran grave markers in La Porte County

They're the symbol of our country.

“It means freedom.”

But American flags were not billowing in the wind Thursday night.

Many were on the ground, instead; the mark of thieves.

“This is sad because these men and women went to war for us so that we could have the freedom that we have now," Patton Cemetery Board Vice President and Center Township Trustee Lisa Peurzakowski said.

An estimated 40 bronze emblems attached to the flags were taken between Oct. 18 and Oct. 21. They’re there to honor veteran service members in the U.S. armed forces and other uniformed service.

La Porte police

asking for information.

Peurzakowski said the emblems cost about $40 and are put there by veteran organizations to show respect.

“And for somebody to come and take those emblems that were there, put there by the different organizations, steal them and probably scrap them for money, we have no idea, but it’s really sad that it’s come down to where they have to start doing stuff like that,” she said.

Peurzakowski said they’ve had trouble before trying to keep people off the grounds at night and others from dumping trash.

She said now they might need to do more.

“It looks like we’re going to have to work on something else," she said. "We don’t have any electricity out here, but there’s got to be a way of maybe putting cameras somehow.”

Peurzakowski said the thefts will likely be a topic at the next board meeting.

No suspect description was available Thursday.

If you know anything or you see the markers, contact La Porte police or the Patton Cemetery.