TITUSVILLE, Fla. – A Mims man accused of stealing the U.S. flag and damaging a grill at the Disabled American Veterans chapter in Titusville earlier this week was arrested Friday, according to police.
Jonathan Wayne Smyth, 42, faces charges of criminal mischief, petit theft and burglary of an unoccupied structure, booking records show.
Police responded Thursday to the reported theft at DAV Chapter 109 along North Singleton Avenue, according to a statement. A preliminary investigation found Smyth had accessed the chapter’s property after business hours, where he reportedly stole the flag and also damaged an outdoor grill, the statement reads.
Surveillance video shared to social media by the chapter — provided to News 6 by DAV Representative Michael Dunn and Commander John Dunn — appears to show a man taking down the flag, wadding it up and walking off with it Tuesday night.
Smyth was located around 3 p.m. Friday and taken into custody without incident, booked at the Brevard County Jail where he was being held on no bond at the time of this report, records show.
In a statement, Michael Dunn told News 6 that a new grill had since been bought for the chapter by benefactors who had become aware of the situation.
A couple in Altamonte Springs just dropped off a brand new Pit Boss pellet grill at the chapter…$699.00 grill (...) he saw the news and went down and bought it for us.
Michael Dunn (statement)
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