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McCain and Obama backers both report thefts as thieves appear nonpartisan before election
By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008
Theft hasn't stopped Brenda and Jeremy Leighton from proudly proclaiming their choice in the upcoming presidential election.
When someone stole the Barack Obama yard sign from in front of their house in Copley, they made another one out of a smaller sign that had been in a window.
''Apparently a fellow citizen is lacking the tolerance of those who disagree with him,'' said Brenda Leighton, a 37-year-old Akron teacher.
As the election draws near, signs on both sides of the political aisle are being stolen.
''It's the silly season,'' said Summit County Republican Chairman Alex Arshinkoff, who added that John McCain signs have been stolen in large numbers in Akron and in his hometown of Hudson.
On Akron's west side, he said, some vandals are burning McCain signs.
''You wonder if it's kids or over-enthusiastic volunteers,'' said Arshinkoff, who in 2004 hired a guard to watch over a large Bush-Cheney sign in his yard.
Bath Township Police Chief Michael McNeely said he was aware of one Obama and one McCain sign-theft report being filed with his department.
''It's evenly distributed,'' he said. ''It happens every election.''
Jill Rohrer, a 47-year-old Bath resident, said her Obama yard sign was stolen. She replaced it right away, and brings the new sign into her house at night to avoid another theft.
''I baby-sit it,'' said Rohrer, an editor who works at home.
At the same time someone stole her sign, she said, a plastic grocery bag ''with some kind of dead animal bones'' was left by her front door.
''I know that the many supporters of Obama in my community are disappointed and disturbed by the cowardly, nocturnal activities'' of those who are stealing signs, Rohrer said.
Hudson Police Chief Dave Robbins said only two reports of stolen signs have been filed in his community, but the department has received a number of e-mails from residents about stolen signs.
''All I can find is one Obama and 23 McCain-Palin signs'' reported stolen, Robbins said.
One of those McCain supporters who was a victim of theft was Steve Hutchinson, a campaign volunteer. Two signs in his yard and 13 signs stacked up in his driveway were stolen.
''That's dirty politics,'' said the 41-year-old Hutchinson, who is pastor of the Dwelling Place Family Church in Hudson with his wife, Jane.
Whoever was responsible for taking the signs, which were to go to McCain enthusiasts in the area, had to walk up his driveway and take them from near his garage.
''You feel violated,'' Hutchinson said.
John Lasher, a Bath neighborhood team leader for Obama, said reports to him indicate thefts of Obama signs have been ''pretty extensive.''
''I think there is a person or persons that are upset at the number of Obama signs in the area,'' said 65-year-old Lasher, a real-estate broker.
When people are stepping on people's right of free speech, he said, it is ''kind of scary.''
Two times in the last week, three McCain signs have been stolen from the state Route 303 property of Kristina Roegner, an at-large Hudson councilwoman and Hudson co-chair for McCain.
''It gives you a sense of insecurity,'' the 39-year-old Roegner said.
After the first theft, she replaced the signs, but then the next night the new ones were stolen.
''People are coming on my yard and stealing my signs,'' she said. '' . . . It is vicious.''
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Theft hasn't stopped Brenda and Jeremy Leighton from proudly proclaiming their choice in the upcoming presidential election.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 04:52 AM, 10/11/2008
A disproportionate number of sign stealers are Reagan/Bush/McCain types.
Akron, OH
Posted 07:31 AM, 10/11/2008
It never ceases to amaze me of the radical nin-com-poops, like poster #1, that come out of the woodwork durin' election time and do and say zany things.
Posted 07:36 AM, 10/11/2008
My Kerry sign was stolen in 2004, and my Obama sign has now been stolen in 2008.
Barberton, OH
Posted 08:09 AM, 10/11/2008
Someone needs to steal all those signs out from in front of Arshinkoff's house. That place looks like a garbage dump with all those signs out! I mean come on! It is OK to put up a couple signs to show support, but this is WAY out of line! Maybe I should just take a photo of all those signs and remind myself that those are the candidates that I'm NOT going to vote for?
Posted 08:49 AM, 10/11/2008
Personally, and I doubt I'm alone in this....I think that political signs in yards are an eyesore, create neighborhood tensions, and they lead to having people steal signs! C'mon you dummies! I know that most people care more about making their neighbors mad than actually supporting a presidential candidate. If you're one of the people that have these signs up in your yard and it was stolen, look at your neighbors that support "opposing" candidates.
The bottom line is that there is a great divide in our country right now - between the realistic thinkers that are wise to how bad of shape we are in and living in 2008, and the old, set-in-their-ways, stuck in the 1960s republicans that basically support McCain because he's not black. It's pretty clear what is going to happen, suck it up, and to all you old republicans out there that disagree - move to Canada or Mexico because we are fed up as people, sick if this BS, and Obama is gonna be the president.
Barberton, OH
Posted 09:20 AM, 10/11/2008
I prefer to not put up signs because they are an eyesore. I like to keep my choices to myself and not cause tension.
Akron, Oh
Posted 12:17 PM, 10/11/2008
Stealing political signs is not as bad as beating someone senseless as did one Obama supporter to a Clinton supporter during the primaries. I have observed that intolerance of differing views comes from the left as much as, if not more than the right lately in this country. Complaints about signs being unsightly are just a smoke screen to justify these Stalinist tactics.
akron, oh
Posted 12:42 PM, 10/11/2008
Eric's comment above is the epitome of intolerance. But of course, if you disagree with him you are labeled a racist.
Posted 01:11 PM, 10/11/2008
Once again, may I be so bold to say, intolerance and violence, thefts, are a symptom of a larger issue. We have been victimized for decades by both political parties. What is so needed are candidates who are selfless statesmen, not career politicians. When will we as a united people say enough? The founding fathers of our great nation did not intend for the government to be run this way.
Akron, OH
Posted 01:38 PM, 10/11/2008
Why is this news? It is a typical activity of high school students bored at night. It has went one for a long, long time. Not news. In a few weeks, it will be pumpkin thefts.
akron, oh
Posted 02:18 PM, 10/11/2008
It is news for a desperate ABJ looking to sell newspapers. More on topic - is anyone convinced to vote one way or the other based on a yard sign?
Posted 04:11 PM, 10/11/2008
"'All I can find is one Obama and 23 McCain-Palin signs reported stolen', Robbins said."
Yes, I stole one of those 23. There just aren't enough of them for the millions of us who want one!
Akron, Oh
Posted 06:00 PM, 10/11/2008
LOL...I was out riding by bike today and was thinking of putting my Obama sticker on a Mccain sign but I decided not to. I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT I DIDNT DO IT. It's a wrap tho. Please welcome in your President Elect Barack Obama.
Posted 07:27 PM, 10/11/2008
McCain is going to be the only Republican that wins.....
