John Falcone, head coach of the Northside Boxing School, joined in the show of patriotism last weekend, handing out 800 hand-held flags to passersby near his school at 9651 Hamilton Ave..

        He returned Monday afternoon to discover his own full-size American flag, along with his official Olympic flag, stolen from a flagpole. Mr. Falcone reported the theft Monday to Springfield Township Police.

        "I thought people's consciousness at a time like this wouldn't allow this to happen. I was wrong,” he said.

        The Olympic flag commemorates Tim Austin's bronze medal in the 1992 Olympics. Mr. Austin, now International Boxing Federation world bantamweight champion, trained at Northside.

        Mr. Falcone thinks his flags were stolen because U.S. flags are hard to find. Since terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last week, stores haven't been able to keep flags in stock.

        Employees at various Kmart, Home Depot and Target stores said Tuesday they hope to get new shipments this week.

        Like many Americans, Mr. Falcone has flown his flags for years, but he said he feels an extra sense of duty now after the terrorist attacks.

        If thieves hope to display that patriotism with stolen flags, they've defeated their purpose, he said: “To me, if you steal a flag, that is the same as desecrating it.”

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