HILLSDALE — Political candidates vying for local offices are growing increasingly frustrated with campaign signs that continue to disappear.

“It happens every election cycle to every candidate,” Mayor Adam Stockford said. “I just think it’s more noticeable in local elections because campaigns are on the small side and you have a good idea of where all your signs are at.”

Stockford — the incumbent candidate eyeing a second term in November — does not believe its the work of his challenger, Rondee Butcher, or her supporters as she has her own signs and she does not want hers to be stolen either.

“I would think candidates rarely steal signs as they know the cost and effort of running a campaign for office,” Stockford said. “It doesn’t change a persons mind and only serves to frustrate  homeowners when their signs come up missing and it galvanizes their support for their particular candidate.”

Hillsdale Police Chief Scott Hephner said they hear about the issue every campaign cycle and that police consider the signs to be personal property if they are placed on private property.

“We have recovered signs in the past but I’m not sure if anyone was ever convicted,” Hephner said.

Penny Swan, a candidate for Hillsdale City Council’s Ward 4 seat, said the first time she ran for office she had around 20-percent of her campaign signs stolen or damaged.

“The first day I put signs out a few weeks ago I had messages saying they were missing including out of Mayor Stockford’s yard,” Swan said.

Swan said the only recourse would be if homeowners where signs were stolen had cameras they could take the footage to police for prosecution.

“I just bite the proverbial bullet and put new ones out,” Swan added. “I think one can come up with all sorts of scenarios as to why this happens. People just like to wreak havoc sometimes and campaign season is always a easy time to cost someone running for office even more money. Signs and campaign stuff skyrocketed in cost this year so stolen signs are really hurting the campaign pocketbook.”

Stockford said if he could talk to someone involved in stealing political signs, he would tell them that local campaigns are not funded by big donors, but rather funded by other locals who donate their hard earned dollars to effect change in their community.

“So, you’re not stealing from big politicians, but your neighbors and their neighbors,” Stockford said.

Swan echoed Stockford’s comments and added “I would ask them why and then explain the cost and time that goes into these signs and ask them how they would feel if this was happening to them.”