Pranksters caught stealing U.S. flags in Westlake
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

FLAGS FLYING-When Jay Perry, manager of Johnny P's on Westlake Boulevard, left work late on Thursday, July 6, he discovered several young people attempting to remove his U.S. flags in front of the Westlake Boulevard restaurant in Thousand Oaks. Perry called 911. Law enforcement officers responded and the flags were recovered. It hasn't been decided if charges will be filed.

Jay Perry, the manager of Johnny P's restaurant on Westlake Boulevard, helped catch a group of four people who allegedly stole 800 miniature American flags placed in front of the restaurant for the July Fourth holiday.

While leaving the Thousand Oaks restaurant at about 11 p.m. on Thurs., July 6, Perry saw a truck pulling into an access road next to the eatery's parking lot.

"I looked in my rearview mirror but didn't see any movement, so I became suspicious," he said.

Perry decided to circle the lot in his truck for a while without approaching the other vehicle. After a few rounds, Perry saw a door open and somebody jumped out of the truck and took off, he said.

Perry came closer to investigate and noticed about two-thirds of the flags had been removed from the lawn area in front of the restaurant. There was a pile on the ground and some flags were in the bed of the truck, said Perry, who called authorities.

He said he was concerned he might be confronted by the culprits and could not "size them up" in the darkness.

As he waited for sheriff 's deputies to arrive, several individuals started to walk back across the lot toward Perry, but a deputy arrived just in time, he said. A group of young people came over to the car and began apologizing to Perry and the deputy.

"They said it was just a prank and that they were going to take the flags and put them by their house," the restaurant manager said. "They're just dumb kids that had nothing better to do."

According to Perry, the truck's driver was a 21-year-old male. Two younger males in their late teens and a young woman were also involved, and two of them were related.

"The cop gave them the speech and while they said it's just a prank, it's still considered stealing," he said.

The owner of the restaurant, Phil Kreis, was reportedly negotiating with the alleged culprits for financial restitution, because of the meaning the flags hold for him and because they cost $1 a piece. Kreis has up to a year to file charges.

"We were making a patriotic statement," Perry said, "so it's irritating to have kids come and destroy it."