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Habitual Flag Thief Nabbed After Targeting Several Riverhead Businesses, Police Say

Police have arrested a man accused of stealing several American flags from businesses on Long Island.

Nelson Priester, age 37, was arrested Thursday, June 1, for allegedly stealing flags from several businesses in Riverhead.

Nelson Priester, age 37, was arrested Thursday, June 1, for allegedly stealing flags from several businesses in Riverhead.

Photo Credit: Nassau County Police/Google Maps street view

The alleged crime spree came to an end Thursday, June 1, when an employee at the Laundry Palace in Riverhead called 911 saying a man had just cut the rope and removed the flags from outside the business.

When officers arrived, they found a man matching the suspect description not far from the scene. He was later identified as 37-year-old Nelson Priester, who is homeless.

Priester was reportedly uncooperative and initially refused to identify himself.

Investigators were able to tie him to the flag theft after discovering he was carrying several of the hooks that are used to attach the flag to the flagpole, police said.

Not long after Priester’s arrest, police determined that flags had also been stolen from at least five other businesses in Riverhead, the majority of them located along Old Country Road.

A Riverhead K9 unit tracked down several of the flags after following a scent trail from the Laundry Palace, according to police.

The other businesses targeted were:

  • Riverhead Auto Mall
  • Riverhead Municipal Garage
  • Riverhead Beverage
  • Eagle Chevrolet
  • Riverhead Historical Society (located on West Main Street)

Priester is facing the following charges:

  • Two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny
  • Petit larceny
  • Fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property

He was released on an appearance ticket with a future court date.

The Riverhead Town Police Department is asking anyone with information in the case to contact the agency at 631-727-4500.

This was not Priester's first encounter with law enforcement. He was arrested by Nassau County Police in January 2022 for allegedly driving a stolen car in Garden City, as was previously reported by Daily Voice.

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