Guess what?

[GallopingGhost]

Just got home from church and noticed my Obama/Biden 2012 lawn sign is gone.

It lasted five whole days.

Tomorrow, TWO are going up!

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. My first one lasted for 5 days. Replacement went up yesterday.

thinking of taking mine in at night - or painting the edges with puree of Ghost pepper and vaseline...

[JackN415]

12. There is a rodent repellant stuff made of cayenne pepper. I heard that they test out in the lab

and the rodents never ever forget it for the rest of their life. Which isn't super long, but longer than from now till Nov 6

[GallopingGhost]

2. I know there was another thread about this...

that stuff that turns the culprit's fingers blue...can you buy it at any regular hardware store?

[kalli007]

3. All these sign stealers remind me of this 2008 story

ETA: Link not showing up ---

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/politics/Woman_paints_lawn_after_sign_is_stolen

[GallopingGhost]

4. LOL!

I'm not that artistic, but for every sign they steal, two are going up, until they get the message.

I just have to figure out what to paint the new ones with.

[kalli007]

6. Also this one

You can put up a sign that states "You can steal my sign, but you can't steal my vote"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/04/632892/-You-can-steal-my-signs-but-you-can-t-steal-my-vote

Although, that may sound more like a challenge to beat for the Rethugs these days........

[ellisonz]

5. Solution

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Trophy-Brown-Vision-Camera/dp/B004MC1WC2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350842582&sr=8-1&keywords=trail+camera

Only $140 + shipping and handling

[boingboinh]

11. Or Just a cellphone and a free App

[BraKez2]

7. Noticed this in my area...

all the Obama/Biden signs that were there a few weeks ago...GONE... noticed they left the Tim Kaine and Anthony Flaccavento signs standing but they are beginning to disappear as well...

[DFW]

8. You need a third sign

One that says "If you are too much of a coward to take down my sign while looking me in the eye, know that I have 500 more of them waiting, since you have nothing better to do with your life."

[Angry Dragon]

9. call the police and file a complaint

[DemKittyNC]

10. Wow, sorry to hear that. Two is better than One tho! :D

In my neighborhood you would get your head blown off stepping onto someones property like that and stealing something, be it a pro-Obama sign or whatever. You are pretty much issued a shotgun when moving into the neighborhood I live in and everyone looks out for everyone else... lol In 2008 there were McCain/Palin signs everywhere around here, this election year I have not seen a single sign yet for Rmoney and have seen many Obama/Biden signs.

[GallopingGhost]

35. That's how my neighbor is.

Nice guy; I like him, but I always yell "Hello!" as I'm going onto his property. lol

[We People]

13. Somebody planted a Go Newt sign in my side yard years ago during congressional race

I stood in the yard and tore it up, then trashed it. The nerve of some idiots!

Wanted to report that, but how would they know I didn't put it there!?

[Arugula Latte]

14. Smear some Vaseline mixed with cayenne pepper on 'em!

[iemitsu]

15. In 2004, a "Kerry for President" sign was stolen from my front yard.

I (we) replaced it with a sign that said, "Stealing my Kerry sign won't help Bush steal another election".
This sign also disappeared from my yard.
Afterward, I was complaining to my (high school) students about the thefts and explained that doing such a thing was not only illegal but immoral (in a democratic society).
At the end of that very school day several JROTC students came to my room and confessed to the crime. They did not know they had targeted my home, along with numerous others in my neighborhood, but evidently my earlier appeal to to defend the rights of everyone, not just a favored faction, had struck a chord.
They led me to a pile of about 50 Kerry yard signs (including the two signs missing from my yard) that had been tossed into the woods on the far side of the school parking lot. They had already confessed to the Major in charge of the JROTC program at our school (he is a close friend of mine), who read them the riot act.
They were lucky they confessed voluntarily. The Major required them to replace each of the signs and apologize to the people they had victimized. They were also required to perform 20 hours of community service each if they wanted to remain in the JROTC program.
After the event, the leader of the group of sign thieves began to hang out in my room after school. We became friends. He joined the military after graduation but has remained in touch. I get e-mails and he visits when he is in town.
He is still a bit of a right winged character but he is also much more open to other's viewpoints (he really likes to play the devil's advocate and argue any opinion that others don't share).
I suppose that is a nice enough ending to a sign theft story but it is also true that, as a consequence of the incident, neither my wife or I have felt comfortable displaying political yard signs ever since. The idea makes us feel like we (and our home) will become targets of right wing crazies (a feeling all too familiar to ethnic families without bringing extra attention to ourselves).
To me this outcome serves to highlight how effective simple actions (sign stealing in this case), designed to silence other's speech, are at achieving that exact goal. Even with the largely positive results of my particular victim-hood, I and my family feel intimidated, like using our voices is dangerous.
I hope that you are not going to have such lingering feelings about simple sign theft, GallopingGhost.
If I were in a fighting mood, I'd add a sign that questioned stealing signs while others attend church.
Like:
"Is this the Mormon way?"
"Stealing signs while others pray"
or
"If real Americans would fight to the death to defend other American's Free Speech"
"What does that make people, who steal signs for Romney?"

Ok, I'll admit these are some pretty dumb examples but you get the idea (maybe this approach contributes to my feeling like a target so you probably should not take my advice).

[GallopingGhost]

17. GREAT story, thanks for sharing!

I think I'm going to use the last one.

[iemitsu]

24. Good luck.

I hope the culprits come crawling back to you for forgiveness.

[GallopingGhost]

28. Thanks, but I won't hold my breath. lol n/t

[iemitsu]

43. Guess what?

The kid i referred to in the above post, the sign stealer, was in to see me today. Out of the blue. He is on a three week leave from Afghanistan, has to be back there on November 4th.
His ears must have been buzzing last night while I related the sign theft story.
We both thought it was pretty funny.

I hope your sign vandals have settled down.

[Divine Discontent]

37. great story! thanks!

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[adigal]

41. JROTC - future republican club

That should not allow these in high schools!

[iemitsu]

42. I agree with you there, adigal.

I was livid when the Bush Administration made housing a JROTC program a condition for public high schools to receive Federal funds. We had such a peaceful and academic environment before then. No military wannabes marching through the halls, looking like dorks and calling me sir.
I think that pre-recruiting programs have no place in the schools. Especially when they were placed there at the same time that the cost of post high school education became unaffordable. The programs target the poor.
That said, the JROTC program has not been all bad. My classroom is directly across the hall from their headquarters so I see and talk to the retired Major and Sergent, who run the program, nearly every day. We share many students.
These guys work wonders with lots of needy kids. Kids who lack structured environments at home or who don't have close relationships with their fathers cling to these men. They work tirelessly before, during, and after school providing enrichment opportunities and modeling acceptable social behavior for students, who have never been anywhere or done anything, that required special knowledge or training.
Not all kids need that, fortunately, and I am not well equipped to provide the same sorts of mentorship, being a liberal, history and art teacher. I encourage kids to question authority and to protest injustice.
the school needs all kinds of adults to address the needs of the students. I've found that the JROTC program has been an asset to our school.

[theKed]

16. I think a thin coat of glue

and some nice, sharp, small pieces of glass around the edges should do nicely.

It's dark when they do it, they'll probably not even see it until they slash the shit out of their hands.

[GallopingGhost]

18. I love the idea of this but

not sure I could do it, even to assholes.

[theKed]

20. Ehhh

These rightwing assholes are all about protecting and enforcing rights to protect property ownership. Show 'em how it's done.

[GallopingGhost]

21. I know you're so right but

I'm kind of a weenie about hurting other people.

I have no doubt they'll be back tonight so I have to do something. Guess I have to get tough for Obama!

Just found out from my oldest that the dog was going nuts at the window. I said, "It didn't occur to you something was wrong?" He said, "I though he was barking at a cat!"

[iemitsu]

26. Don't hurt others.

Protecting property is accepted and expected in nearly every community but booby-traps are illegal.
Sticky goo or some sort of dye would mark the perp. and annoy him/her but not get you into trouble. sharp glass might.

[GranholmFan]

39. There was someone posting about this on Kos a while back....

They got some oil or something and stuck the sign in the ground good, basically if you tried to pick it up your hand was a goopy mess and it didn't budge. no injury.

[GallopingGhost]

19. *UPDATE*

Just found the mangled sign in the back of my husband's truck. My oldest fixed it and put it back up.

My other (young) son said, "It was probably a stupid Republican!"

[iemitsu]

30. Bandage the mangled sign and present it as a victim of terrorism,

the battered Obama sign attacked as a result of reckless Romney foreign policy statements.
or
Add a crutch to the stake, holding the sign, and garner the sympathy of all veterans.
or
Make a miniature chain-link and razor-wire, gulag fence (about a foot tall) and protect the poor, picked-on sign. Then add a sign asking what country banishes freedom of expression.
or
Set the Obama/Biden sign in the center of a rally of diverse signs supporting Obama: health-care, equal pay, women's rights, etc. (Obama sign in white hat) on one side of the front lawn and on the other side position a black hatted Romney, vulture, thief, liar, loser sign with teabags stapled to it and a lone billionaire sign throwing water on the burning panted, Romney sign. Include a "Which side are you on?" sign to highlight the comparison.

In any case, you ought to make a video re-enactment of your frustrated attempts at free speech and you should record what goes on, with your sign, over the next couple of weeks. It would be like a runaway, traveling gnome story.
I'm glad the prodigal sign returned.

[MFM008]

22. put it in your front window facing the street

thats what we do here inside the house in a front window facing the street. Safe and sound and they still see it.

[GallopingGhost]

23. I would if it weren't so loaded with

Halloween decorations.

I'm just going to bring them in at night. I'm always up early.

What's important is that people see it during the day.

[Mr.Bill]

25. Put a sign next to it saying This Sign Protected By Smith & Wesson.

That should confuse them.

[GallopingGhost]

27. Smith & Wesson they would

probably understand.

That is, if they could read the sign.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

29. Grease them with vaseline

harder to pull out

[Divine Discontent]

38. yep, simply coating them with a layer of vaseline will freak out any wouldbe sign thief

Get Four 4.5"x2.7" stickers for 5.95 --->
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[DollarBillHines]

31. So you take some habanero peppers, cooking oil and a food processor.

Mix it to a paste and add water until it gets to a consistency that will brush on. Paint the sign.

If they rub their eyes, they will end up in the ER.

Or they could get REALLY excited about stealing your signs and jump in the truck and jerk off...

[GallopingGhost]

36. Oh, yay...

[txdemsftw]

32. I don't put any signs up...

anymore since we had 2 stolen in 2008 and people around here are just too damn psycho. With all the stories of people getting rocks thrown in windows, cars being keyed, etc...just won't do it anymore. Sad that people are so hateful.

[GetTheRightVote]

33. You go GallopingGhost...

I only wish you had them on camera,

[GallopingGhost]

34. Thanks, Get.

It's in for the night. I appreciate all the good suggestions, but I have a little one so can't do anything unsafe.

It's going out again at first light.

We are buying a camera also.

[Bigredhunk]

40. These Dumb Fucks Steal Them In Broad Daylight????