$1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, conviction of road sign thieves
Todd Jeffries, Shop Foreman with the Hart County Road Department, replaces a road sign. There has been an increase in road sign thefts across the county. Photo submitted.
Mary Beth Sallee
Reporter, Hart Co. News-Herald
Between $20,000 and $30,000 – that’s what it is costing Hart County per year for stolen road signs to be replaced across the county.
But just four months into 2021, the cost is already trending upward to surpass that amount.
According to Hart County Road Department Supervisor Brian Weber, there has been a huge increase in road sign thefts throughout every part of the county.
Each road sign costs the road department $107 to replace, not including the time and labor costs.
“Seven or eight years ago, it cost us about $6,000 (per year) to replace road signs,” Weber said. “But the cost of materials go up, and people are stealing more signs now than they ever were…The sign at Rio Park has been stolen six times in less than four weeks.”
Because of the increase in road sign thefts, the Hart County Fiscal Court approved a resolution for a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals stealing road signs.
Weber stated that some signs are stolen because of a specific road name. Other signs are stolen out of pure vandalism, found lying in ditches along roadsides. But no matter the reason behind the thefts, Weber said that each time a road sign is stolen could mean life or death for an innocent individual.
“They (the thieves) may think that it’s innocent, but if an ambulance is looking for somebody’s father or mother, and it’s a newer driver, they may not know (where some roads are)…That’s the reason the road sign names are there,” Weber said. “…We’re going to prosecute to the fullest amount. Maybe if we make an example of one person, it’ll slow down.”
Although there is no Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) specifically dealing with road sign theft, Hart County Attorney Mike Nichols said that the statute of Theft By Unlawful Taking, KRS 514.030, would apply to theft of road signs.
“Theft of less than $500 worth of signs is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to $500 fine and/or up to 365 days in jail,” Nichols explained. “Theft of over $500 worth of signs, but less than $10,000, is punishable by a prison sentence of 1 to 5 years plus restitution for the stolen signs. If the individual is caught on camera or is otherwise identified as the sign thief, then a warrant for their arrest for Theft by Unlawful Taking would be prepared, and they would be arrested.”
If a road/stop sign is stolen and a wreck occurs or an ambulance does not arrive at a home, then the thief would still be charged with the theft of the sign. There could clearly be a civil lawsuit against the thief for taking the sign, just as there can be civil suits filed for car accidents.
“There would be multiple factors involved before I could definitely say that the thief could be charged with murder for stealing the road/stop sign,” Nichols said. “(For example) did the thief state that it was his or her intent that an accident occur, how close in time it was before the theft occurred and the accident occurred (should the county road department have replaced the sign during the interim), etc. I have never read of a case, at least in Kentucky, where a murder charge was filed for something like this. I am not saying it could never happen, just proving criminal intent to murder at the time the sign was stolen would be very difficult.”
In addition to the $1,000 reward offer, Weber said that the road department will also be installing cameras at various places throughout the county in an attempt to have documented proof of the road sign thieves.
Anyone who has information about individuals stealing road signs should contact the Hart County Sheriff’s Department at 270-524-2341 or Kentucky State Police, Post 3, at 270-782-2010.
If a road sign is missing, contact the local police or KSP immediately to report the missing sign.
For anyone who is wanting a specific road sign name for whatever reason, Weber said signs can be ordered and purchased by contacting the Hart County Road Department at 270-524-5095.
