A $1000 reward has been put up to find a man who stole an Australian flag before tossing away Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre Trust paper slips.
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The theft occurred at a monument to soldiers outside Peard's nursery in Borella Road, East Albury.
Security cameras capture the thief, wearing shorts and a hooded top, walking up to the flag pole just before 3.30am on Saturday and pulling down the ensign.
He then walks towards Peard's cafe before continuing toward a fence between the nursery business and Albury Paint Shop.
At this point he throws up 50 to 60 envelope-sized slips that bear 'with compliments' and the Albury Wodonga Cancer Services Trust Fund name, logo and address.
Peard's owner George Benyon, who spent more than $200,000 on the monument, had lowered the flag to half-mast on Thursday for the funeral for former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer.
Coincidentally, mourners had been asked to donate to the trust following Mr Fischer's treatment at the Border cancer hub.
"It's more disappointing than anything that someone would take an Australian flag at a memorial that honours our forces, Captain Albert Borella and all the other Victoria Cross recipients," Mr Benyon said.
He has staked $1000 to help track down the culprit.
"Someone will know who it is because not many people would have a big Australian flag, it is one-and-a-half the size of a normal flag," Mr Benyon said.
It is the first time a flag has been stolen from the tribute.
Mr Benyon said the flag was not lowered at night because the monument's lighting was designed to illuminate it against the dark sky.
It is unclear how the cancer trust paper slips came to be in the thief's hands.
It is possible they were taken from a bin after being dumped last week.
Trust fund manager Kristy McMahon said they had been discarded because details on the slips were no longer valid.
She said it was disappointing they went to the thief and she hoped they would not be used to solicit donations.
"Most people want to help and we're extremely appreciative of all the support we've had and we think 99.99 per cent of the population are doing the right thing, we ask people to be vigilant about people doing something else," Mrs McMahon said.
She said all authorised fundraisers had a letter of verification.
