Off-Duty Firefighter Caught on Surveillance Camera Stealing American Flag

A South Florida firefighter is accused of stealing an American flag from a Key Largo home after a dispute over loud music. Surveillance footage clearly shows the firefighter climbing onto the property, removing the flag, and swimming away with it—a scene witnessed by the homeowners only after reviewing their security camera footage.

In the evening of August 18, 2025, Broward County firefighter Michael Alan Pollock reportedly swam across the same canal, climbed onto the property’s dock, and complained about loud music. The residents turned the volume down. Later that night, they discovered their flag missing.

The homeowners checked their security system, and saw Pollock swimming across the canal, climbing onto their property, and removing the flag from the pole. Once they saw the video, the residents contacted the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies reviewed the footage, located Pollock, and placed him under arrest.

When deputies confronted him, Pollock did not deny involvement—stating that he couldn’t remember the incident. He now faces misdemeanor larceny and felony burglary charges, with bond set at $20,000. An internal affairs probe has also been launched.