DANVERS, Mass. -- Commuters driving near Danvers are noticing a change to the skyline because someone stole a national symbol, and now police want to know who did it.

Plenty of red, white and blue at a Danvers car dealership, but when you gaze up the 80-foot flagpole you notice that something is missing.

Police say someone stole the giant 20-by 30-foot flag that normally stands majestically in front of Hyundai Village. And they caused some big damage to the flagpole in the process.

“They literally cut it, so it’s an 80-foot run and basically I have to get somebody now to come in get up 80 feet and fix our flag,” said Tony Bartolotti, Hyundai Village.

“I thought it was sacrilegious in a way,” said Al Martins, customer. “It doesn’t make any sense that anybody would take a flag.”

This isn’t just something that was stolen out of the sky above the dealership. For some people who work there they feel like it was something that was stolen right out of their hearts.

“A lot of our customers are veterans, a lot of my employees are veterans and it means a lot to us,” said Bartolotti.

“It’s just un-American,” said Ed Ford, works nearby.

Neighboring businesses are equally outraged, saying the flag has become a bit of an icon around town.

“You come in, you hear the thing when the wind blows. It’s a beautiful sight,” said Ford.

It’s a beautiful sight that the dealership is committed to proudly display again.

“I’d be very happy just to get it back and no questions asked, absolutely,” said Bartolotti.

One way or another they say the flag will fly again and they hope to have it flying by Memorial Day.

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