Suspect charged after St. Paul pride flags stolen, vandalized

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man is charged with possession of burglary tools after a St. Paul homeowner reported seeing him on surveillance footage trying to take a political sign off of his door last month. 

READ MORE: St. Paul Pride vandal caught on camera, fails at fear

Suspect caught on camera

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Police say the suspect went to a home in the 2000 block of Pinehurst Avenue in St. Paul in the middle of the night on June 6.

The suspect, named in the criminal complaint as George Thomas Floyd, 23, of St. Paul, was reportedly seen in the surveillance footage wearing a blue baseball cap, a green bandana over the lower part of his face, a dark T-shirt, distinctive shoes and blue jeans. 

The complaint states Floyd tried to open a locked storm door at the home by using a fixed-blade knife to manipulate the hinges. The homeowner then spoke over a Ring doorbell intercom and asked Floyd what he was doing, causing Floyd to leave. 

The sign on the outside part of the interior door had a sign posted on it that said "We will not obey." The criminal complaint states the homeowner did not report the incident until he saw reports that neighbors had their Pride flags stolen. The homeowner also noted the suspect who tried to steal his sign had a knife holster in his waist that was similar to the one worn by the man stealing Pride flags, according to the complaint. 

Suspect arrested

Dig deeper:

Police say they encountered Floyd at a traffic stop on July 2 and noted he was wearing a necklace and black T-shirt similar to what was seen on the homeowner's stoop.

Officers also noted a mole or freckle just below the elbow crease on his left arm, exactly the same spot as the suspect seen in the surveillance footage, according to the complaint.

Police then searched Floyd's home on July 3 and recovered a baseball cap, green banana, distinct shoes, black shirt and fixed-blade knife they believe he used in the June 6 incident. 

Floyd declined to make a statement, the complaint says.