Madison County Investigates Campaign Sign Stealing Spree
More political campaign signs have been stolen from local lawns. This time 30 to 40 signs were snatched in Madison County and police are investigating.
“There were between 30 and 40 signs taken in one night, from one area,” said Madison County Sheriff detective Mike Courtney. “So it shows it wasn’t just a random act.”
On Sunday, Courtney showed our cameras two spikes of lone rebar jutting from the dry earth in a field on N 3rd E and Barney Dairy Road in Rexburg.
“I don’t ever recall this amount, especially with one candidate that seems to be targeted,” he said.
Courtney said a majority of the missing signs belong to incumbent county commissioner Kimber Ricks. The lone rebar Courtney showed to our station once held on of Ricks’s larger campaign signs.
“To have 30 or 40 of them come up missing, especially with the smaller signs, the cost of them, about 4 or 5 dollars a sign, that adds up quick,” said Courtney.
Courtney said he’s seen campaign sign theft in the past, but never like this. Over the weekend, he said, a thief or thieves made a sweep of the quiet Rexburg neighborhood nabbing the big sign on the rebar and dozens of other smaller signs.
“Somebody might think it’s funny, but if they get charged with that, I don’t think they’ll find it very funny afterward,” he said.
Courtney said the crime is serious. Each sign stolen is considered a separate count of theft.
“Say there were only 35 signs, each one of those is a petty theft,” he said. “So it could be 35 misdemeanors.”
Earlier this month, two candidates for Fremont County prosecutor made the news for a fight over campaign signs. No charges were filed after candidate Karl Lewies accused incumbent Joette Lookabaugh of taking campaign signs. Lookabaugh said Lewies never had permission to place the signs.
Courtney said he doesn’t suspect any Madison County candidates in the Rexburg investigation.
“I don’t think any of the candidates are doing any of this, like I said, they were all pretty shocked,” he said.
Our station tried to contact Ricks about his signs being stolen. Our calls were not returned by airtime.
If you have any information about who may be responsible for stealing the signs, you’re asked to contact the Madison County Sheriff’s office at 356-5426 or Crime Stoppers at 359-3282. Callers may remain annonymous.
