Stolen political signs prompt warning of legal consequences from sheriff’s office

ANTRIM COUNTY - Some people in Northern Michigan are realizing their political signs are being stolen.

“I was a little angry, I must admit. I figured it’s the first thing I thought of was, it’s probably just kids, but then I heard that there were other signs in the neighborhood, stolen, and then it became a little bit more nefarious to me. Like, who’s coming up on our property? And stealing our signs? I had actually paid for that one,” Amy Hegel, Grand Traverse Democratic Party Volunteer.

Amy Hegel is not the only person with her sign stolen. Both sides of the political spectrum are experiencing this. Any stolen property is a misdemeanor that could lead to 93 days in jail. Antrim County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating its own cases.

“So, when we receive these complaints of stolen science, we investigate aggressively and try and catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” says Undersheriff George Lasater.

For some this seems as a joke, but for GT GOP Chair Katie Kniss, she says this isn’t stopping voters from getting a new sign.

“With the trump signs, we have them at our action center and we often have people coming in and saying, I had my sign stolen. And so now I’m here to get five more. So, it doesn’t really discourage them.”

And for Hegel she is on the same page.

“I do have the standard one now, and I will be putting that up today.”

The Antrim County Sheriff’s Office wants people to know they investigate both sides.

“It’s equal protection under the law. So, there’s no republican-democrat. You know, that’s looked more favorably upon either way. If we receive a report of any stolen signed up, no matter who it is, we investigate it all equally,” shares Lasater.

And people on both sides say there’s no reason to be stealing signs in the first place.

“I never think in my mind I want to go steal that because that’s somebody’s voice to somebody’s opinion and they’re welcome to it,” says Kniss.

If you see or have a sign stolen report it to your Local Sheriff’s Office.