OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Multiple political yard signs in Oshkosh– both signs supporting Kamala Harris and signs supporting Donald Trump– have been stolen or vandalized this election season.
- Both political parties in Oshkosh have reported stolen and vandalized political yard signs.
- Oshkosh Police Department reports show 10 incidents regarding political signs since Sept. 1.
- The Winnebago County Republican and Democratic Party offices say people come in daily with reports of stolen or vandalized signs.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story edited for web)
Election season means alongside pumpkins and Halloween decorations are political signs
"I'm not going to say I didn't expect it, to be honest with you, but at the same time, why would somebody do that?" Joe Saccardi says.
Saccardi is among Oshkosh residents who have had signs stolen. His "Veterans for Harris" sign was stolen this month.
"We need to be able to live cohesively and people that do things like this are what prevents that," he says. "It doesn't matter what your beliefs are, what my beliefs are, you know, that's somebody else's property. You don't go onto somebody else's property and take their things period."
According to the Oshkosh Police Department, since Sept. 1, there have been a reported nine stolen signs, one vandalized sign and one letter saying voting for Kamala Harris will lead to “blood on your hands."
OPD says the letter doesn't mention the resident's name or reference their home or yard sign. It also doesn't endorse Donald Trump.
"Both sides are being targeted, there is not a clear one side being targeted over the other," OPD said in an email.
The offices for both the Republican and Democratic Parties of Winnebago County, say they see damage or theft of signs happening more frequently.
"My guess would be two or three a day are telling us that they've had signs stolen," Kate Hancock-Cooke, a volunteer for the Winnebago County Democratic Party, says. "This election there seems to be a lot more hesitancy to take a sign- for people to actually want to put a sign on their lawn."
"We have people coming in almost everyday– 'I need new signs, mine have been stolen'," Joann Borlee, volunteer for the Winnebago County Republican Party, says. "More this year than in the past, 'my signs have been damaged'."
Borlee says multiple people have had their signs cut, torn a part or spray painted.
Ben Ganther owns Ganther Construction in Oshkosh, where he had a Donald Trump sign stolen and a Tim Patterson sign cut through.
"I just think it's a small minority that, they're not getting their way," he says.
He replaced the Trump sign and wrapped it with chicken wire so it wouldn't be stolen again.
"It’s trespassing and vandalism and if you get caught, I hope you get punished for it," he says. "I'm not intimidated. I think they're desperate, and I don't think they have much of a chance to win."
