Police charged an 18-year-old with stealing flags from a park in Gastonia.
Jake Edward Rankin, 18, is charged with first-degree trespassing and misdemeanor larceny. Police allege Rankin stole an American flag, a state flag, and a city of Gastonia flag from Martha Rivers Park at 1523 Neal Hawkins Road, Gastonia.
The flags were all property of the city of Gastonia. They were valued at $150.
The park was closed and secured to keep out intruders, according to the arrest warrants.
Rankin amassed seven other charges in 2013, including breaking and entering, larceny and defacing public property.
He was given a $15,000 secured bond.