"Amateur Detectives" Catch Man Stealing Bush* Signs

[matcom]

<snip>

According to two Mercer Island men, signs supporting President Bush are an endangered species. Within days of going up in the affluent neighborhood, the signs disappear.

So there the men were this week, camped in the dark woods with lawn chairs and a video camera, waiting for the thieves to strike.

It only took three hours. At about 10 p.m. Tuesday, a 25-year-old Mercer Island man walked to a grassy area along the 6700 block of Island Crest Way and began to pull up Bush signs installed by the two men, police said.

The amateur detectives burst out of the woods and confronted the man, who was apologetic. The men detained him until police arrived.

The man was arrested and released on suspicion of third-degree theft, a misdemeanor, said Mercer Island police Sgt. Lance Davenport.

The two Bush supporters said they set up the stakeout after 60 of their signs were stolen on the island last week. One of the men, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals by Kerry supporters, said the anti-Bush sentiment in the neighborhood is extreme and angry.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002062675_signs14e.html

[FrankBooth]

1. And Mercer Island is one of the most affluent burbs

In the Seattle metro area. If anti-Bush sentiment is extreme in MI, then bush really is toast.

[ET Awful]

2. These guys had 60 signs up on public property?

From the description, it sounds like an "island" in the road, which is public.

Why were these signs on public property?

[patcox2]

3. Thats the only place you can put them.

Most places have laws specifically permitting political signs on public property within a certain time frame before an election. Its a constitutional free speach thing. Otherwise only those who own property would be able to put up signs.