VALDOSTA – The night before Douglas Clay Bass and Brian Meeks moved into their Pineridge Drive home two years ago, Meeks’ car, which had various Pride stickers on it, was blasted with paintballs. At the time, the couple didn’t think much about it.

However, after experiencing six different acts of vandalism and one arrest, the couple has had enough.

“We just had a single Pride flag for years,” Bass, a Navy veteran, said.

The Pride flag is a rainbow of colors associated with the LGBT community.

After the couple experienced the vandalizing of their Pride flag, they decked out their home with numerous flags, yard signs and banners to show that they “aren’t going to back down.”

No arrest was made in the flag incident although a police report was filed. Valdosta Police Department Lt. Scottie Johns said there were no leads in that specific case.

An arrest was made on the sixth incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 29.

Jake Dromgold, 25, is charged with misdemeanor theft by taking in connection with the theft of a yard sign and several mini flags from the couple’s yard, according to a Valdosta Police Department statement.

According to the statement, the theft occurred at 2:48 a.m. when a witness observed the theft and called 911. Officers were able to locate the offender and arrest him without incident and he was transported to Lowndes County Jail on the misdemeanor charge of theft by taking, the release stated.

While the arrest is a step in the right direction for the couple, there is no indication this specific crime was committed out of hatred toward the couple’s décor or its message, authorities said.

Johns said police don’t believe the Sept. 29 incident and the earlier incident are related.

Two days prior to the incident, the couple received a letter from the City of Valdosta stating they must alter their yard decorations to meet city regulations.

“Not everything in the yard is a violation,” said Ashlyn Becton, City of Valdosta public information officer. “They are not being told to take it all down and they were not cited or targeted by the city. Everyone has to follow the rules.”

The couple plans to make the changes to meet regulations while continuing to showcase their pride.

“We are who we are and we’re not going to change,” Bass said.

As for any future incidents, Johns encourages not only this couple but anyone who feels they are being targeted to file a police report every time there’s an incident.

“Citizens just need to know that there is no big or small crime; to us, crime is crime. If you’re the victims of a crime, file a police report,” Johns said. “Nobody needs to be picked on no matter what. I just don’t think Valdosta is built that way. I feel there’s a lot of love in this town personally.”

Desiree Carver is a reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 244-3400 ext. 1215.