The 2024 political season is heating up, as are the passions of individuals who display their loyalty by placing signs of the candidate or candidates they support on their personal property.
You may agree or disagree with your neighbor, but stealing or vandalizing one’s property is illegal.
Isolated incidents have occurred in Manitowoc County recently, but none in Manitowoc yet.
Paul Krock, the Crime Prevention Sargeant for The Manitowoc Police Department, tells Seehafer News, “If somebody were to steal a sign or possibly damage any political sign just like any other property, local ordinances would apply. That could be for theft or damage to property depending on what occurs”
Krock says property owners must also follow the rules.
“It’s like any signs within the city,” he explained. “It can’t be on the terrace or that area of grass between the sidewalk and the roadway. It needs to be placed in the yard.”
Fines can range anywhere from $187 to $500 and depending upon the severity of and amount of damage done, one could spend up to 30 days in jail.
If you are a victim, please don’t take the law into your own hands and contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.
