Charlotte, NC: Attempted Sign Theft in *UNDER* 12 hrs. What to do?

I live on a small cul-de-sac in south Charlotte. Since my yard gets no traffic, save my Republican-leaning neighbors (who have their McCain/Palin sign up) I chose to place my Obama/Biden yard sign up in the area south of Ballantyne, along a high-trafficked median near other political signs.

I hammered the stakes in at 9:00 last night, and put the sign on.

Today, as I was returning from Ballantyne to my house, I saw a blue Chrysler PT Cruiser parked on the shoulder near my sign. Just as I passed my sign I saw a guy on the median, running back to his car from my sign. My sign is now warped from where he tried to rip it out of the ground. (Fortunately he was too dumb to realize he could just pull the plastic sheet off). I'm glad I chose to hammer my sign into the ground well.

I slowed down and I don't know if he saw me but I yelled, "What do you think you're doing?" out of my car as I passed. I pulled over to the shoulder around the corner, and right as he passed me, he went to turn onto a side street. I followed him and got his license plate number and followed him until he turned into a neighborhood.

What do you think I should do? Just let it be? I can't believe that a nearby McCain/Palin sign on that street has stayed up unmolested for weeks, but my Obama/Biden sign gets battered and almost stolen in under 12 hours.

I'm hoping that he DID see me, and that I freaked him out enough that he'll lay off further attempts to steal my sign.

Republicans are bastards.

We get news ones up immediately and my wife hung some under the windows on the 2nd floor. The yard sign is coated in vaseline. Of course you could always:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7549814

I've heard they're in such short supply. My regional office didn't have any the last I checked. I only had this one. :(

home every weekend.

Given that the sign was on a median, I doubt that I'd have a basis for the claim. Do you think I would?

Great plan

:eyes:

There are so many political signs placed in these medians and public areas, I was wondering if it was truly illegal.

In fact, I had no plans to display my Obama sign there but the rash of McCain / Palin and other political signs in the area encouraged me. We need to be represented!

Of course there's very little enforcement since cops have better things to do.

I suspect it's illegal in Charlotte too.

:eyes: It was just a suggestion and I was trying to help.

Which is indeed helpful

Why are you hijacking my thread to just be rude?

I see enough of that from people like the guy who tried to steal the sign. No need to be nasty here. We're all on the same team, remember?

The other person only made his post because he knew how much ignorance annoys me

I have video surveillance to give the police.

Or I have an old style boobie-trap, where the would be thieves end up hanging by their ankles waiting for the police to arrive.

What's sad it that systematic sign stealing is SOP for the repubs in many areas.

so you could write and tell him that his actions inspired you to donate more to the Obama campaign. You might wish to write a letter to the editor about people stealing political signs--how it is a juvenile thing to do. Maybe even say, "And I hope the parents who own the blue PT Cruiser find out what their child is doing"--even though it was an adult who did it (I'm sure), that might shame him a bit.

voted, you will be doing more to elect Obama than guarding 10,000 signs from the jerks.

So don't confuse your priorities.

:evilgrin:

Just shared the story with her as she came into work...

I said, "I can't believe he was so stupid as to attempt this in daylight..."

Her response? "Oh it was a crime of passion, what can you do?"

LOL... "crime of passion". I guess a lot of these thefts and defacing are "crimes of passion"... They're so sad they're going to *LOSE*....