CREIGHTON — The Town of Creighton appears to have a serial sign thief (or thieves) on its hands.
The Town and its local council has had to order new street signs as a result of several signs being stolen over the past year. The signs have been taken right off the pole - Creighton Mayor Bruce Fidler said the Town had received 17 separate reports of street signs going missing in the past year, including a few reported stolen twice, with reports made of signs going missing in other area communities.
“We’re not the only place - I’m hearing it’s out at Denare Beach too,” Fidler said during council’s July 27 meeting.
“They are not easy to get off,” said Town assistant administrator Cindy Davis.
“I know the one on my street was gone last summer,” Fidler said.
Fidler said the vandalism could have several negative effects on the community - possibly confusing emergency services on their way to important calls and costing the Town (and potentially taxpayers) money to replace and install new signs.
“Let’s say a street sign is taken and the ambulance is called, and they don't have access Google Maps or GPS or anything and they’re looking for a street sign to find a place and it’s gone - there’s a lot of things that could definitely go wrong,” said the mayor.
“Along with the expense, it’s putting residents potentially in danger.”
New signs have been ordered by the Town and will be put up to replace the missing ones in the near future.
“We’ve just ordered them. As soon as they get here, our workers will be out installing them,” Fidler said.
“It’s extra cost and extra work for them and that could end up going on to taxpayers.”
The cost to the Town of labour and of buying and shipping new signs was not available as of press time. Fidler said he doesn’t understand the appeal of the thefts, stating that the thefts make the community worse and add costs and extra bother for the Town.
“I don’t know what fun they’re getting out of doing this, but they’re causing extra cost to the Town, to taxpayers and, if it’s kids, to their parents. They’re taking the risk of putting residents in danger. What fun they’re getting out of it, I can’t see it myself,” said the mayor.
“It’s a bit idiotic.”
If the perps are caught, Fidler said the Town would wish to prosecute.
“Absolutely. It’s theft,” he said.
