Another Summer, Another Rash Of Sign Thefts In Ridgewood, New Jersey

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Stop signs and other road signs are disappearing again in Ridgewood, New Jersey, in what has turned into an annual and costly event.

As CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reported, a sign marking the name of a street was stolen at one intersection, leaving empty holes where screws used to be and a vacant slot where the sign once sat.

Over the weekend, a stop sign was also stolen.

"I had no idea someone would take a stop sign, and for what reason, I have no idea," said Frank Porter of Ridgewood.

A new stop sign has been mounted to replace the one that was stolen. Stop signs are rapidly replaced for safety's sake.

"It is something that is critically important," said Ridgewood Chief of Police Jacqueline Luthcke.

Luthcke said street sign thievery is an ongoing problem in Ridgewood.

"We generally average two to three per month for stop signs," she said. "When it comes to all other types of signs, by the end of the year, it's over 100."

But the problem spikes in the summer.

"Summertime is always one of the hardest, because although the kids think it's not a problem – they want to take it off to college with them – it's really something that is both a financial and a safety issue."
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Last year, it was such a big problem that Ridgewood offered amnesty to anyone willing to bring back the stolen goods.

"The amnesty that we did last year got an amazing amount of signs back," Luthcke said. "We haven't had a discussion yet this year."

Carol Russell lives right next to the recently stolen sign.

"This is absolutely necessary -- at the end of this block, there is an elementary school," Russell said. Addressing the thieves, she added. "You need to stop."

Russell worries the absence of the stop sign could cost someone - a child - their life.

"I would just say to them, do you really want that on your conscience?" she said.

One sign costs more than $60. That does not include the cost of the pole or staffing hours.

Thieves need to know if they are caught and convicted, they Face fines and jail time.