Rash of sign theft & destruction

[Carolab]

In Minneapolis-St. Paul area. On our local news, people holding up signs taken from their yards, destroyed, and then put back with massive burned holes in them, etc. One couple put out a new sign, and then put up a video camera to catch the culprit, and DID. Police are investigating. Apparently this is a fairly serious offense, more than just a misdemeanor, and burning signs can be considered arson. I wonder what the charges are if you drive by and sling poo?

http://www.kmsp.com/news/investigators/story.asp?1636282

Sign Theft

Can't blame people around here if a certain political paranoia has set in. Not when at least 13 of their lawn signs were stolen and vandalized. And privately police told them the number may be closer to 50. But there's one thing the political pilferers didn't know. They were caught on tape. Along Alpine Trail in Eden Prairie... Where Bush-Cheney signs outnumber Kerry-Edwards, a contentious harmony prevailed among these political animals. Until recently. Norbert Gernes isn't alone. At least seven of his neighbors have had their Kerry signs stolen. And returned, well done. But Kim Ross did something else. She set up her video camera at the window, and kept it rolling. And yesterday, as the storm winds moved in, so did the sign bandits. Driving by in a white S-U-V, they're scared off by a neighbor mowing the yard. Another pass. 30 seconds later, they move in, a teenager jumps out, grabs the sign, and they're off. And Eden Prairie is not alone. In Golden Valley, 17 families with Kerry lawn signs got hate male cursing Kerry, Jews and Gays. In Apple Valley someone else is stealing Kerry signs.But it's also a bi-partisan crime. In Fridley, Mounds View, and St. Paul, it's Bush-Cheney signs that were recently stolen or defaced. This crime also stinks, even though it's just a misdemeanor. Police suspect it's most likely a student at Eden Prairie High. Although none of the kids we talked to recognized the perp. The neighbors on both sides would love to teach the kids a lesson, about tolerance, respect, and fair play. Kim Ross wonders if that would be over their heads.

[benddem]

1. this is going on all over the states

n/t

[Carolab]

3. Where else have you seen it reported?

Interested to see how widespread this is and whose signs are being vandalized and stolen more.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. Pensacola, FL had a huge problem, and parts of Ohio

I've been reading a lot of anecdotes here.

[whiteroses]

6. Philly suburbs

Lots of Kerry signs up and lots of them being stolen.

[Philostopher]

10. Go over and look at the Ohio forum.

There are several topics about it over there. Montgomery County (Dayton and various suburbs) has had a fairly serious problem with Kerry signs simply disappearing this year. A poster from this area who's active with one of the Kerry organizations says she's replaced one elderly woman's yard sign several times -- it was stolen so many times, she started paying for the replacements herself because she felt bad about charging the woman for them, it had happened so often.

There's a house I pass some days on my way to work where the people had to resort to posting their Kerry sign in their front window to keep from having it stolen/defaced -- it never lasted more than two or three days in their front yard.

Several Ohio posters have reported problems, either their own or anecdotes about acquaintances and neighbors having signs defaced or stolen. Not that it's a big surprise, mind you -- we've always known Ohio Republicans had no ethics. Look at all the infighting and lawsuits they're filing on each other -- if they're that vicious to their own, imagine what they'll do to Democrats.

[study_war_no_more]

18. mine are in my window next to the flag

i get some dirty looks for my button and some smirks but who cares. i have taken to saying im voting for the moderate and then pointing out bush is an extremest fifteen thousand dead iraq civialians is extreme in my viewpoint and also claiming God is on my side.

[anotherginger]

25. mine was stolen...

in the middle of a rain storm! I had left to get my daughter and it was up.... then 15 minutes later it was gone. Damn them.

[leftchick]

26. GSO, NC as well....

our local Democratic party can not keep signs in stock they have been getting stolen so fast! I bring mine in at night!

[kurtyboy]

39. Out here in Washington State, but the other side

Seems to get the worst of it so far....

http://www.skagitvalleyherald.com/articles/2004/09/23/news/news01.txt

I just put up another half-dozen Kerry-Edwards 4x8 footers this afternoon--too pricey and way too much work to have some stupid vandals play turnabout on us. I hope things settle down a little....

[Flammable Materials]

16. Wow, Nashville seems absolutely CIVIL by comparison.

Lots and lots of bumper stickers and signs for both candidates everywhere. No widespread reports of vandalism that I'm aware of.

[SharonAnn]

23. Lots of this in East Ennessee, in and near Knoxville

It's just disgusting.

We have people from a planned community who cannot put up signs who are buying signs for others whose signs have been stolen.

[NWHarkness]

2. This is a coordinated campaign

I have no doubt about it.

We had heard nothing about sign theft in this area. Then, all at once, on the same night hundreds of signs were stolen at widely scattered locations all over the district.Obviously, it was not a few stupid vandals, but an organized attack.

[NMDemDist2]

4. "hate [b]MALE[/b] ROFL n/t

[Carolab]

7. Yeah, there were other typos too

What do you want? The station is a FOX affiliate. Goes to show you how rigorous THEIR journalistic standards are, eh?

[fabius]

8. Sign Theft

We had ours taken two nights ago and just put up another one today. We're in Portland, OR. Second sign is fastened to our privacy wall and more difficult to nab. Hopefully it will stay up, because this makes me pretty mad. On our street we had 4 or 5 Kerry signs, and 3 Bush/Cheney signs. Two got nabbed, and ours is back.

[MagickMuffin]

9. It's happening in D/FW

Yard signs being stolen in Ft. Worth. An elderly couple watched from their window as someone actually drove on their lawn to knock a sign down.

Then on Aug. 17, Pete Sessions (R) dropped his kid off at school only to find Martin Frost (D) displayed all over the school yard. Sessions claims that Frost did it. Frost claims they were stolen from people's yards. I guess I would have to believe Frost for three reasons;
1. The signs they showed on the news had dirt on them, these signs were displayed on the school playground equipment, and the fence. They were not shown as being in the ground.
2. Pete Sessions has a police record of stealing his opponents signs in the last election.
3. Martin Frost has never been accused of this crime before, and he has ran for office many times.

Check out the story link provided, also they have a video although i could not get it to work. I have a mac so i don't know if that is the reason I couldn't view it!

http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi

[Seabiscuit]

11. Yet another sign of the desperation of the dying Rethugs!

We apparently live in a more civilized neighborhood where that doesn't happen (four houses on a cul-de-sac with Kerry/Edwards lawn signs and none with * signs)

Not only that, in a traditionally Republican area, I'm seeing bumper-stickers 90% Kerry/Edwards.

Don't forget Michael Moore's blessed encouragement: don't despair, folks, WE'RE TAKING BACK OUR COUNTRY!!!

[tech3149]

12. Best defense is good offense

Go take a nature walk and gather up some poison ivy/oak leaves. Crush the leaves to extract the oil and spread it LIBERALLY on the sign. If these twits have the time and energy to steal signs then they have my utmost respect

[henslee]

15. Glad you're on our side.

[drdtroit]

13. "The neighbors on both sides would love ...

... to teach the kids a lesson, about tolerance, respect, and fair play."

Perfect lesson? How about a years deployment in IRAQ?

That ought to do it!

[kwolf68]

14. To be fair

There were a bunch of Bush/Cheney signs on Route 7 in Virginia coming from Leesburg that are now gone. The signs for this congressman (Wolf) remain, but I don't see the Shrub signs anymore. Maybe, some industrious Dems out there.

[jayctravis]

17. sooo....

Do the sign vandals think that people who have the signs stolen are going to change their vote?

Kinda the same logic that if there's a terrorist attack we'll all suddenly vote for Bush.

[Occulus]

20. well, in the case of the coordinated attacks,

it might be more subtle. The ubiquitous 'they' may be trying to snuff out visible support for the candidate in question.

I liked the idea on how to thwart this that was posted on another thread last week (I think), regarding this topic. Get that slow-dry black paint from a hardware store, the kind that plumbers use (they'll know what you're talking about) and coat the back of the sign with it. This stuff takes days to dry, and gets on anything and everything it touches, or so I'm told.

Nasty little trick you may want to spread around.

Haha. A pun.

[jayctravis]

28. another idea...

Attach a loosely-wired shut baggie of that deer-urine stuff that hunters use onto the back, so when they throw it in their trunk...sploosh.

Like the plumber's paint idea...what do they use slow-dry paint for? Another option...coat the entire thing with vaseline.

[sffreeways]

38. yep vaseline

truckers use it with finely ground glass in it to teach would be theives a lesson. They spread it on the door handles. Ouch !

[saracat]

19. Mostly overindulged Repug Brats with time and hate on their

hands. I know, I know, there are a lot of spoiled Dem brats too.Some of the younger YDs are repellent! A brat is a brat.But they have more money and hence more brats!

[truthisfreedom]

21. honestly, who cares. signs are pretty meaningless in this election.

everybody knows who the candidates are. they just don't know what Kerry stands for, and a sign isn't going to tell them that. i'm still waiting for my Kerry signs! they are back ordered.

[MaineDem]

30. Who cares??

Those of us who are buying the signs, stocking them, distributing them, erecting them, etc.

The Democrats in my county pitched in with donations so we could buy the signs. People taking them down are actually stealing from their neighbors.

I know, signs don't vote, but tearing them down is still a crime and a pain in the butt!

[NashVegas]

44. If That Were the Case

People wouldn't be stealing them.

If images were meaningless and had no influence, Madison Avenue would not exist.

[Big Swing]

22. This is BS

It undermines our 1st ammendment rights. Dems doing this are being hypocritical and helping the Right, just like violence at protests. My yard sign was all bent up by kids 2 days ago (it's the metal frame type.)

[Tuttle]

27. So someone bent up your yard signs

were they Bush/Cheney signs?

The reason I ask is because the "violence at protests" seemed to be some freepers, setting fire to a paper dragon.

Or were you referring to the puke who kicked that protestor who was shackled and on the convention floor (I believe his name was Scott Robinson)?

Tut-tut

[sffreeways]

40. Ya know there is nothing

in this persons post to indicate they are a freeper or support Bush NOTHING !

I wish this friggen paranoia would stop around here it's turning DU into the liberal version of freerepublic.

[newyawker99]

31. Hi Big Swing!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[doubleplusgood]

24. All Kerry signs stolen

...in my West Linn, Oregon neighborhood a few nights ago. (Have since replaced mine with 2 signs). Talked to someone who said that they had lost 4 signs & had one BURNED on their lawn. Meanwhile, Bush/Cheney signs in the area were untouched.

Makes me want to remove Bush/Cheney signs in broad daylight & when the homeowners object, explain my actio with Rumsfeldian Afghanistan/Iraq logic: "Well, I couldn't find the terrorist vandals who did this, but there were lots of good 'targets' in YOUR yard"...

[JimGinPA]

29. Here in Pennsylvania too...

I've had my Kerry-Edwards signs stolen out of my yard twice, and a lot of others have been taken in the area also. I have to drive 15 miles to the local DNC office, so I bought a half dozen replacements just in case.

[newyawker99]

32. Hi JimGinPA!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Bdog]

33. Pepper spray residue will stay for a long time

And when the freeper goes to rub its face it will get a nasty surprise.

[Tippy]

34. As soon as Kerry's signs began to appear they began to disappear

Here in our county....but we are dealing with it...there are somethings you can do to slow down the loss of signs...One we are telling evedryone to keep all signs in the yards off the right away....I don't know of a Kerry sign, that isn't in a voters yard...Secondly we have told them to staple the plastic sing to the wire...at least the can not just pull the plastic off....then take a gar of vasoline and smear it aroudn the wire...may not stop them but it is messy...several have mixed small amounts of concrete and put it around the wire at the base...

Some people bring their signs in at night....

Get creative...A W sign was placed on our Headquarters door...we just put as slash through it...with a note...."the only reason this sign is on our door is because a Republican put it there ..However we did add the slash....."

[KittyWampus]

35. Thanks For The Tip, Tippy!

:D

[sffreeways]

36. Just today In PA Philly burbs

this afternoon I took a ride up north and the local union hall had placed Kerry signs along the road on 95. I came back not 3 hours later and they were all torn in half and thrown on the roadside. Must have been 50 of em. Middle of the afternoon. I wish these union guys would actch em. That would be a surprise.

I don't ever remember things being so bad. The big problem is that some decent republican representative or a group of republican representatives would have the power to change this by telling their constituants that it's wrong to try and completely silence the opposition but that won't ever happen. Not one of them has an ounce of courage or fortitude to explain to these ignorant Americans that are engaging in these acts to knock it off because it's making them look really bad.

I've had the urge to run over a Bush Cheney sign but I thought better of it because I don't believe that's what it takes to get a president elected to office. What kind of a moron gets it in their petty bitter hateful mind to tear up signs along the road. They don't just disagree with us, they hate our guts and wish we were dead. That's why the sign stealing and vandalism bothers me, it illustrates the lack of respect they have for any opposition.

If that's what you think you have to do to win your candidate is lame.

[Mrs_Beastman]

37. freaking brownshirts

[Whoa_Nelly]

41. In Oregon as well...and car keying

<snip>
Politics has turned ugly in Jackson County.

Republicans say cars with political stickers have been scratched recently, and vandals struck the Democratic headquarters in Medford over the weekend.

"They spit all over our doors and windows and broke the bulbs in the sign," said Democratic precinct worker Jean Maack.

Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said the vandalism at Democratic headquarters is still under investigation, and he encouraged anyone with any information to come forward to the police.

"We do take it very seriously," he said. "They (the suspects) don’t have the right to destroy other people’s property or steal other people’s property."

more...
http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2004/0915/local/stories/02local.htm

[osaMABUSh]

42. I ripped down two signs myself !!!

I had my Kerry bumper sticker stolen. Not a big deal I kind of expected it so I have a bunch of extras.

Anyway, I'm walking in downtown Pittsburgh, PA last Friday at lunch time and I see a couple of crudely handwritten (on white notebook paper) signs taped onto lamp posts at a very busy intersection. So I get a little closer and the first one says "Flip Flop" and the next one "Kerry Lies". Now, literally every second a car or pedestrian would see these signs. Well, I was pissed so I purposely and violently ripped the first one off. The second was a bit higher up the pole so I actually hand to stand on a pedestrian barrier wall to rip that one down.

I couldn't care less who saw me, in fact, I was hoping some would see my anger in ripping down this nonsense. Their whole campaign is based on putting Kerry down. And if Bush Cheney had an official campaign theme or mantra it would have to be "Kerry is a flip flopper"

I see W '04 stickers all over the place and I really think this minority of Bush fanatics is trying create the illusion that Bush's support is enormous in order to temper any Kerry support and keep the turnout down. These bullshit little signs were part of that fanaticism. And all I can say is not on my watch are they going to get away with it!

[juslikagrzly]

43. Oklahoma too

and we're totally off the map--go figure!

[Carolab]

45. Bully behavior

bunch of cowards--afraid of us, that's what it is.