A Bicentennial American flag that was stolen nearly 40 years ago from a park has been returned by a remorseful thief.

The flag was stolen in 1976 while the Weston Observatory in Manchester, NH was being repaired. Someone climbed the scaffolding and snatched the flag at night, causing an uproar in the community, WMUR-TV reported.

The flag was recently mailed to the Manchester Historic Association from Arizona with a note of apology signed by “a flawed son of Manchester.”

“I regretted having done this for many years and apologize for my selfishness,” the thief wrote. “I have taken care to preserve the flag until I could return it so that it may assume its place as part of Manchester’s heritage.”

The association hopes to keep the flag and put it on display or possibly return it to the observatory.

“Who knows who it was who did this, but we’re just thankful to have it back,” said Jeff Barraclough, acting director of the association.

Source: WMUR-TV, http://wmur.com