BETHEL ACRES, OK -- There have been a rash of crimes in Bethel Acres within the past three weeks involving the theft and destruction of street signs. Nearly a dozen stop signs have been destroyed or stolen, the latest of which was knocked down Wednesday morning.
One Pottawatomie County Commissioner decided Tuesday to reach into his own pocket to catch the crooks. District 2 Commissioner Jerry Richards is offering a $500 reward for the arrest of the vandals.
"I'm still mad," Richards says, "because it's not right and it's going to endanger people's lives."
Richards was especially angered when a four-thousand dollar school zone sign was torn down as well. The County will replace it with budget money from a one-cent sales tax, but Richards says that money could have gone to other projects, such as road maintenance.
"Somebody might get another 10 or 15 loads of gravel," Richards says. "This is taxpayers' money."
Even Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth is hitting the streets to catch the criminals in the act.
"I was out till about 10:30 last night in an unmarked vehicle."
Booth says they're stepping up patrols, and anyone found with a stolen sign could face 30 days in jail, fines, and much worse.
"If someone gets injured because that stop sign is missing," Booth says, "then they can be charged with a felony and go to prison."
Officials say in an extreme case, the vandals could be held partly responsible for any death that occurs from a collision resulting from a stop sign being stolen or knocked down.
Contact KFOR News directly by clicking here if you would like to submit a news story tip or suggestion.
Copyright 2009 KFOR-TV-DT. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
One Pottawatomie County Commissioner decided Tuesday to reach into his own pocket to catch the crooks. District 2 Commissioner Jerry Richards is offering a $500 reward for the arrest of the vandals.
"I'm still mad," Richards says, "because it's not right and it's going to endanger people's lives."
Richards was especially angered when a four-thousand dollar school zone sign was torn down as well. The County will replace it with budget money from a one-cent sales tax, but Richards says that money could have gone to other projects, such as road maintenance.
"Somebody might get another 10 or 15 loads of gravel," Richards says. "This is taxpayers' money."
Even Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth is hitting the streets to catch the criminals in the act.
"I was out till about 10:30 last night in an unmarked vehicle."
Booth says they're stepping up patrols, and anyone found with a stolen sign could face 30 days in jail, fines, and much worse.
"If someone gets injured because that stop sign is missing," Booth says, "then they can be charged with a felony and go to prison."
Officials say in an extreme case, the vandals could be held partly responsible for any death that occurs from a collision resulting from a stop sign being stolen or knocked down.
Contact KFOR News directly by clicking here if you would like to submit a news story tip or suggestion.
Copyright 2009 KFOR-TV-DT. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
