Paul Millman was planning a big Canada Day celebration at his northwest Calgary home this weekend so he thought he’d display his Canadian pride in his yard.
On Friday afternoon, Millman hung up a large Canadian flag from a tree in the front yard of his house in the community of Dalhousie, but when he got up Saturday morning, the flag was gone.
“It was kind of crazy. I thought, [it’s] Canada’s 150 birthday,” Millman said.
“I don’t usually do stuff like this, but I was just trying to dress the place up. It kind of made me think that Canadians are known for their politeness and for the cordiality and everything good and here it is Canada day, you’re trying to celebrate and this thing has to happen. It’s kind of crappy,” Millman said.
When Millman went to check his CCTV security system, he was surprised by what he saw at 3:13 a.m.
A man had parked his car in front of his house and walked onto his lawn and attempted to yank the flag off the tree. However, the culprit was unsuccessful at first.
“He actually left and came back about three minutes later and at that time he had a knife. He couldn’t get it down and he was jumping up-and-down with a knife and slashing and cut the rope,” Millman said.
Millman said the video then shows the man grabbing the stolen flag and heading back across the street where he drove off in the car.
“I don’t get it. It’s something that didn’t happen by chance. It was petty but it was malicious. He didn’t steal it to sell and feed his family or to buy drugs. It was just ‘you have that flag and I want it and I’m taking it’,” Millman said. “It kind of goes against what my principles are and I’m sure lots of people’s principles – especially on Canada Day.”
As for the pilfered flag, Millman says it’s unique and it would be nice to get it back.
“It actually ripped once and my wife fixed it so there’s some unique markings on it and if I see it again, I know what it looks like.”