A serial flag thief could be on the loose in Dunedin, police believe, after a New Zealand flag was stolen from Adams Flags and Accessories on Monday night.
During the weekend, flags depicting the five alternative designs in the New Zealand referendum were taken from the top of the Great King St car park building.
Senior Sergeant Liz Waru said Dunedin police believed the thefts might have been carried out by the same person, so they could have ''the full set'' of flags.
Adams Flags and Accessories co-owner Richelle Adams said the New Zealand flag had been flying on a pole at the Crawford St premises for the past six years and there had never been any problems.
''It seems like a strange coincidence because we've never had a flag stolen from here before. It seems likely it's the same person.
''We had the five flag referendum options flying as well and they could have easily been taken. But they weren't. That was quite weird.''
The flag was a larger-than-normal 2.7m version, which retailed for about $200, she said.
The business would modify its security practices, which would include taking all the flags off the poles at the end of each business day, she said.
The referendum flags were flying at Adams and at the Great King St car park building to assist people voting in the New Zealand flag referendum.
Voters have been asked to rank five alternative flags, chosen by a flag referendum panel out of 10,292 designs submitted by Kiwis.
The preferential system would deliver a single winner, which will be pitted against the present flag in the final referendum next March.
Police are appealing for witnesses to both thefts.
Anyone who saw the flags being taken down, or had seen any of them since, were asked to contact police.
