KALAMAZOO, MI --

The giant brown and gold

flag has gone missing from its pole at the corner of Howard Street and Valley Road and university officials are offering a $300 reward for information leading to its recovery.

Who took the WMU flag?

WMU Public Safety Assistant Chief Blaine D. Kalafut said the brown flag adorned by a big gold "W" was taken from its pole sometime between Sept. 4 and Sept. 6.

Kalafut said authorities believe someone may have climbed up on a nearby storage shed to gain access to the flag's metal-reinforced hoist cord, cutting it with a metal saw.

The university is offering a $300 award.

News of the theft, and the reward, has been posted on Go WMU, a website for students, who have also shared the information on Facebook. The campus newspaper,

, also has reported the story.

Anyone with information is asked to call 269-387-5555 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.

"If someone wants to drop it off, no questions asked," that's fine, too, Kalafut said. "We just want it back."