Utah family feels like they’re being targeted over acceptance flags

SANDY, Utah — A Sandy household stated they’re fed up with being focused in the midst of the evening by vandals poisoning their panorama.

“They began on the road aspect, very low, and we simply couldn’t fairly determine what was taking place,” stated Robert Smith.

For practically 5 months, Robert Smith has been attempting to determine why his panorama is dying.

“So we put cameras as much as monitor whereas we have been away or asleep, and low and behold, we discovered some suspicious exercise.”

On Monday, Smith’s safety cameras captured a person in a golf cart, driving round his home at 2 a.m.

“We noticed this fellow come very shut and really sluggish, proper subsequent to the curb, and also you see some movement, some throwing movement.”

Then once more on Wednesday at 1:30 a.m.

“I don’t know if it’s borax or what it’s, however there’s something that’s killing the timber.”

Smith believes his household is being focused due to the messages they select to show.

“Some folks will convey their animals by to defecate in our yard, they usually’ve advised us that they didn’t like our BLM flag or our ‘We’ll Commerce Racists for Refugees’ flag.”

Sandy police stated the Smiths have each proper to show their beliefs, so long as the indicators usually are not vulgar or obscene.

“That’s a type of free speech,” stated Sgt. Greg Moffitt. “It’s on that home-owner, his or her property, that’s completely inside their proper.”

Moffitt stated if somebody is caught vandalizing a property, they may face expenses.

“If it’s ten cents price of injury or all the best way as much as $500 price of injury, will probably be a Class B misdemeanor,” Moffitt stated.

On the Smith dwelling, lifeless bushes and timber are stacking up.

“I already took one tree out as a result of it fully died,” Smith stated. “Right here’s one other that fully died.”

Smith stated he’s fed up.

“This sort of habits shouldn’t be acceptable in a neighborhood that’s tight knit; it shouldn’t be acceptable in a neighborhood that’s about respecting thy neighbor.”

Smith stated he didn’t file a police report straight away as a result of he didn’t wish to stage accusations in opposition to a neighbor with out proof, however now that he has it, he’s able to go to police.