VERGENNES — Vergennes police are looking into the repeat theft of an American flag stolen from the porch of a South Maple Street home.

The flag stolen was recently given to the homeowners by city police and Vergennes American Legion Post 14 to replace one first stolen on New Year’s Eve. The first flag taken had been flying since 2018 in honor of a family member of the homeowners, a Purple Heart veteran of the Iraq War who took his own life that year.

Police said the case remains under investigation. If anyone has any information on the crime, city police would welcome a call at 802-877-2201.

In other action between Jan. 20 and 26, Vergennes police conducted seven traffic stops and six cruiser patrols, processed two pre-employment fingerprint requests, dealt with a 911 hangup call, and also:

On Jan. 21:

• Dealt with a motor vehicle complaint on Route 7.
• Issued a no-trespass order and gave a courtesy ride to an individual who had locked himself in a Maplefields convenience store for what employees called an extended period. Police determined he was trying to warm up and was also experiencing mental health issues.
• Took a report that a wallet was lost in the Main Street area. A citizen found it and turned it into police, and it was returned to the owner.

On Jan. 22 helped Vergennes Union High/Middle School officials deal with a truancy issue.

On Jan. 23:

• Accepted property found on Main Street and returned it to its owner, who picked it up at the station.
• Checked the welfare of a Hillside Acres resident, who was found to be fine.
• Helped high school officials deal with a truancy issue.

On Jan. 24:

• Took a complaint from a Green Street resident that a loose dog “continuously runs” through his yard.
• Accepted property found on Main Street and returned it to its owner, who picked it up at the station.

On Jan. 25:

• Asked an employee from a Middlebury store who came into a related Vergennes business to leave the premises. Police said he came into the Vergennes store claiming to be a manager and attempted to fire another employee. Police said they spoke to the store manager and a district manager who both said the Middlebury employee has no reason to be there.
• At about 6:30 p.m. responded to a complaint of a bonfire and loud partying at the city’s East Street skating rink. Police said they found “only a small, controlled fire, about the size of a typical campfire, with a few people gathered around it. There were both adults and children on the ice rink, and there was no loud music or partying in progress.”
• Shortly after midnight responded to a burglary at Vermont Pure CBD at 237 Main St. Police said an investigation is ongoing.

On Jan. 26:

• Were told by a man that a woman was not at the prearranged Hillside Acres location for a child custody exchange. The male said he was not sure what to do next and wanted to make sure he would not be violating the court order if he could not locate the woman and complete the exchange. Police advised him to contact the court during its open hours if he was unsatisfied with the current custody arrangement and compliance with it.
• Checked out a report of a suspicious person on Hillside Drive.