ADAMS, Mass. (WHDH) — An unusual suspect was caught stealing and vandalizing flags at an Adams cemetery.
Mark Paquette was watering the flowers at Bellevue Cemetery when he found flags missing from all of the veterans’ graves at the bottom of the hill.
“I was concerned it was vandalism,” Paquette said. “What would they be doing with the flags?”
As a Vietnam veteran, Paquette was upset and reported it to workers on the ground who replaced them. But a few days later, he found them missing again.
“We were taught you don’t even walk on graves, nevermind steal the flags from veterans,” said Paquette’s wife Charmaine.
The couple reported the thefts to police and began to spread the word on social media.
Eventually, Paquette found multiple holes surrounded by dirt, flowers, pieces of the flags and a vase.
On Tuesday, the mystery was finally solved when a woman saw a woodchuck taking the flags.
“They saw the woodchuck jump up on a flag and pull it right out of the holder,” Paquette said.
A similar incident occurred in 2012, when woodchucks were caught stealing flags from a cemetery in Hudson.
The couple said they’re grateful it wasn’t an act of vandalism.
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