“Men Admit to Stealing Pink Flamingo Statue in Parma: Judge’s Response Revealed”

Donald Deka and Jack Klamert, who are from Valley View, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft after taking one of Parma’s iconic pink flamingo statues. At their arraignment, held on Tuesday, they admitted to the theft charges.

As part of their guilty plea, their charge was reduced from a felony theft to a misdemeanor.

The judge at Parma Municipal Court, Deanna O’Donnell, passed the sentence for Deka, 20, and Klamert, 21. They received a 180-day jail term, with 170 days suspended. Additionally, they were instructed to perform 250 hours of community service, split between 125 hours in Parma and 125 hours for the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland.

O’Donnell also ruled that the duo must pay for the cost of their 10 days of jail time out of their own pockets.

“When a person goes to jail, the city pays for it, which means the residents pay for it, which means the taxpayers pay for it,” she explained. “That’s not gonna happen here. The city of Parma will be directed to calculate the cost of confinement. And gentlemen, you will be required to pay that cost. The residents of the city of Parma will not be paying for your behavior. You’ll be paying for that.”

The judge also asked the parents of Deka and Klamert not to pay for the jail time. “This is your adult children’s responsibility, not yours. We do not want your money. We want theirs.”

Prior to Tuesday’s arraignment, the pair paid $2,200 in restitution.  

You can watch the entire hearing below.

According to a report from the Parma Police Department, officers were advised on the afternoon of June 7 that the flamingo statue located at the corner of Broadview Road and Snow Road was missing. 

All that was left on the concrete pad where the statue stood was one of the flamingo’s feet. 

Police investigators went to work gathering evidence, including camera footage from neighboring businesses. 

“Detectives obtained video footage and observed a white Ford Escape pass through the intersection at approximately 2:40 a.m. and park in the Arby’s lot located at 1441 Snow Road. Two males were observed exiting the vehicle and then loading the flamingo into the car. The vehicle then traveled eastbound on Snow Road at approximately 2:48 a.m.,” Parma police stated. 

You can watch surveillance camera footage from Parma police below.

Parma police detectives viewed several traffic cameras and were able to determine the license plate number of the Ford Escape. 

O’Donnell bragged about the Parma Police Department’s cameras during her sentencing.

“You guys know that there are cameras all over the place, right? Do you know? Let me share this with you — big hint. Do you know that when you took the flamingo, the Parma Police Department, they knew within an hour who you were and where to find you. There are cameras all over the place. That’s why I’m kind of amazed that we’re standing here on a flamingo case again,” she said.

The vehicle was registered to an owner in Valley View, who told detectives that their 20-year-old son lives there and has access to the car. 

Police say the 20-year-old man, identified as Deka, cooperated with investigators and the flamingo was recovered. Deka was arrested and charged with felony theft, as was the 21-year-old Klamert, also of Valley View. 

The statue had just been installed at Broadview and Snow Road on April 15.

Dennis Vasko donated $2,000 for the statue’s creation and dedicated it to his 4-year-old granddaughter Ava, who is autistic. In tribute, Parma City Council passed a resolution supporting April as Autism Awareness Month. 

“Parma means family. It is a big city with a smalltown feel,” Vasko said during the dedication. 

Before they were sentenced, both Deka and Klamert apologized to the Vasko family. 

“We now understand the significance of the flamingo and the broader implications of our actions. Had we possessed this knowledge at the time, we are confident we would not be in this situation today. Nevertheless, our lack of awareness doesn’t excuse our actions. This incident has been a profound learning experience, and we are truly remorseful. We assure you this won’t happen again,” Deka said.

As O’Donnell stated, this latest incident is not the first time that one of Parma’s pink flamingo statues has been stolen.

On May 25, 2024, three men stole the pink flamingo that had been placed next to the script Parma sign near the splash pad on W. Ridgewood Drive. The flamingo was later recovered approximately 50 feet north of its original location, but was damaged.

The flamingo statue had been installed earlier that year after a donation by Bob Funk, who was honoring his late wife and daughter, both of whom died of breast cancer. 

Judge O’Donnell sentenced 25-year-old Taylor Pupkiewicz, 25-year-old Marcus Balue and 24-year-old David Burak to 180 days in jail, a $500 fine, and 500 hours of community service. The trio served a total of nine days behind bars after 170 days of the jail sentence were suspended, plus a credit for one night served.

RELATED: An assault on civic identity: Mike Polk Jr. demands justice for Parma’s stolen flamingo statue

“While this is not the crime of the century, it is a gut punch to Mr. Robert Funk, who so graciously donated thousands and thousands of dollars to get this statue here in the city in honor of his deceased wife and his deceased daughter who both died of cancer. Cancer stole his wife and daughter and you thought it would be okay to steal more,” O’Donnell told the defendants during sentencing.

A new pink flamingo statue was also installed at the script Parma sign on April 15.