ESCONDIDO -- Motorists might have noticed a conspicuously absent Escondido landmark Friday -- the giant flag that normally decks the 180-foot flagpole over the Escondido Auto Park.

Someone apparently stole the 40-by-60-foot banner, usually visible from Interstate 15 and Highway 78. Brecht BMW owners and brothers Tim and Tom Brecht say they have the only keys to operate the electric winch that raises and lowers the 120-pound flag, which is owned by the Escondido Auto Park Association.

Before this week, no one had ever bothered the showy Stars and Stripes, first raised in August 2005, the brothers said.

Tom Brecht said he doesn't know who would want to take the flag, and that it was probably, "just kids or someone."

It's not exactly clear when the flag was taken.

Tom Brecht said he is sure the flag at Auto Park Way and Hale Avenue was taken sometime Thursday night or early Friday. He said he saw it twice on New Year's Day when he came to work.

But Tim Brecht, who didn't notice the flag across from his dealership was gone until his brother pointed it out Friday morning, said other people told him they had first missed it before nightfall on New Year's Day.

Either way, on Friday the flag was definitely gone. Tom Brecht said it looked as if someone used bolt cutters to break the locks off the flagpole's two electrical boxes, one which controls spotlights that illuminate the flag at night and another which powers the electric winch. The wires were cut and mangled, and the thieves apparently hotwired the key-operated winch to bring the flag down, Brecht said.

The flag cost about $1,500, and there is a backup ready to replace it, Tim Brecht said. The patriotic display is replaced every six months to make sure it is in good repair, and the stolen one was almost due to be swapped, he said.

Brecht said he reported the vandalism and theft to Escondido police Friday, but was told no officer would be dispatched. He said he was told to return a crime report that would be mailed to him.

Escondido police Sgt. Doug Sams said that in some cases, citizens are given the option of mailing in a report, but they have to agree to that option. Otherwise, an officer is sent to take the report, he said.

Repairs will need to be made to the flagpole's electrical boxes before another massive Old Glory can rise, Brecht said. An electrician is scheduled to fix the damaged circuitry Monday, he said.

Contact staff writer Sarah Gordon at (760) 740-3517 or sgordon@nctimes.com