Woodchucks blamed for stealing flags from veterans' graves at Massachusetts cemetery

LAWRENCE, Massachusetts (KTRK) -- People in Massachusetts say an unlikely critter is to blame for committing a serious crime.

Mark Paquette was watering the flowers at Bellevue Cemetery when he found flags missing from all of the veteran's graves.

Paquette said he was upset and reported it to the grounds workers who replaced them.

But a few days later, the flags seemingly vanished across the entire cemetery.

Paquette reported the flag theft to police. But then, last Tuesday, a woman saw woodchucks stealing the flags a third time.

"They saw the woodchuck jump up on a flag and pull it right out of the holder," Paquette said.

The man says he's glad it wasn't a cruel act of vandalism and just busy woodchucks.