WALDWICK, N.J. — Waldwick police are investigating the theft of a Pride flag displayed near Route 17, the second reported removal of a borough Pride Month display since 2024. Officials said the flag disappeared about two weeks after it was placed on June 1 and that a replacement will be installed.

Waldwick Pride flag theft under investigation

Mayor Tom Giordano said the rainbow flag appeared to have been taken overnight. In a borough release, he condemned the theft as inconsistent with Waldwick’s values and said the act did not represent the community or its residents.

Giordano urged the person responsible to return the flag instead of keeping or discarding it. He said the missing banner could be left on the bench outside the Administration Building so borough officials could recover it without further damage.

Police have opened an investigation, but officials have not said whether a suspect has been identified or whether investigators have obtained witness statements or other evidence.

Second Pride display theft reported since 2024

The latest Waldwick Pride flag theft follows a similar incident documented in Borough Council minutes from Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Those minutes state that a Pride flag was removed one day after it was installed.

Police replaced that flag while the earlier investigation continued, and another rainbow flag was later displayed outside Borough Hall.

The borough plans to install another Pride flag near Route 17, keeping the annual display visible while police investigate. The repeated theft has renewed attention on the community’s Pride Month display and the borough’s response to its removal.