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July 25, 2004Primaries near, usual sign theft still commonSwiped ads can cost candidates hundredsByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - It's become a ritual of the political season like conventions and campaign ads: the stolen yard sign. A handful of area candidates are reporting a rash of stolen or missing yard signs as the countdown continues toward the Aug. 3 primary election. "It's been a pretty typical year for us," Grand Traverse County Sheriff Scott Fewins said. There haven't been reports of widespread sign thefts but scattered complaints throughout the city and county, he said. Grand Traverse County Register of Deeds Peggy Haines spotted one of her signs while driving down Eighth Street in Traverse City this past weekend. When she drove by a few hours later, the sign, which cost her more than $100, had vanished. "It just really irked me," said Haines, who filed a complaint with city police and has lost a number of smaller yard signs in recent days. "It gets to the point ... do you put another sign out just to get it stolen again in 24 hours?" Candidates in neighboring counties are also having sign problems. "Unfortunately, I've been victimized more than anybody else," Leelanau County Sheriff Michael Oltersdorf said. The sheriff filed a complaint with his own department after more than four dozen of his yard signs and a larger wooden sign were removed or run over in recent weeks. The cost of replacing the signs can add up quickly. Small wire yard signs cost about $5 each, and the larger wood-framed signs can cost $125 or more. "It's a lot of money down the drain," Haines said. Authorities said sign thefts are typically not tied to a specific candidate or political party, but rather the "fringe" element of a campaign or issue. "More often than not, it's a misguided supporter," Traverse City police Sgt. John Fitzgerald said.
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