Pride Flags Repeatedly Stolen From Natomas Neighborhood Tree

NATOMAS (CBS13) — It's a stream of rainbow stretching from tree branch to tree branch on a tree at a nearby trail all courtesy of Doug Walker-Pieper and his husband.

"I decorate this tree for every holiday. Christmas, Fourth of July, Easter, everything," Walker-Pieper said.

But his most recent decorations for pride month have been going missing.

"I know they were definitely targeted because they were taken. They were ripped down, disappeared," Walker-Pieper said. "Someone did something with them. They weren't torn down and put on the ground, you know."

Walker-Pieper first thought it was kids when it first started on Sunday. Then it happened Monday and then again on Tuesday.

"This is the longest they've stayed up. I was actually up all night I came out every hour and did a flag check. And stood with them and just made sure they were safe," Walker-Pieper said.

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Sacramento Police told CBS13 officers took a report of what happened on Tuesday afternoon. They are investigating it as a bias-related crime and if anybody has any information they should contact the police department.

Neighbors question why anyone would do this.

"I think it's almost like a hate crime because everybody knows rainbow flags right," Gisela Xie, a neighbor, said. "And my neighbors are really nice. So, we feel very sorry for them."

"I don't want to sit and judge other people," Alice Parente, another neighbor, said. "But to me, it's not being willing to accept other people for who they are."

Walker-Pieper hopes these new pride streamers can fly proudly and safely as he watches over them. His one question for who captured his flags is why.

"Why do you feel entitled to do that? Because I wouldn't come to your front door and rip down whatever flag you have flying. Or if you chose to decorate this tree for something you believe in," Walker-Pieper said. "As long as it's not hurting anybody or against anybody, I wouldn't rip them down."