Where did the Ps go?

It was the erfect crime.

In a most mysterious move, the letter P has been taped over on dozens of road signs on the Kapiti Coast, north of Wellington, bemusing motorists and annoying the council.

The vandals struck over the weekend and in broad daylight: two young men in hi-vis vests were seen using a ladder on Sunday to reach one sign on Kapiti Rd, one of the busiest streets in Paraparaumu – or ara araumu, as it has now become.

The man behind the stunt was artist Hohepa Thompson, of Hori studio in Otaki, who said he and his fellow campaigners tried to hit every P they saw from Palmerston North to Porirua to get people to focus on ridding communities of methamphetamine.

‘‘I got to that point where I was like, I have had enough of it [methamphetamine],’’ Thompson said.

The P-less placenames are just the start, with Thompson encouraging everyone to take the Ps out of everything until September 23.

But Kapiti Mayor K Gurunathan was not impressed. ‘‘There are other ways of raising awareness, and messing around with traffic signs is not it.’’

Altering road signs could be considered wilful damage, he said.

The issue of methamphetamine use on the coast was something he was looking at, and would address with the Wellington region’s mayors at a future forum.

‘‘I’m starting to hear the stories and it’s worrying me, and I’ve asked to get more data on it.’’

Kapiti Coast District Council environmental standards manager Jacquie Muir said willfully damaging property was an offence and not condoned by council. Offenders could face imprisonment or a fine up to $2000, she said.

Anti-methamphetamine campaigner and drug counsellor Andrew Hopgood said he did not know who was behind the stunt, but said it was good to get people talking about the drug and its effects on the area.

‘‘Kapiti is swimming in the stuff ... it’s a massive problem and I can’t play it down.’’

On Monday morning, many of the signs had had their letters unmasked as a council maintenance crew peeled off the tape. But dozens still sported crossed-out letters, and motorists reported it wasn’t just Kapiti that had been targeted.

Porirua’s Postgate Dr briefly lost its P, as had signs in Levin. Porirua Deputy Mayor Izzy Ford said there were other ways for people to make a statement.

‘‘Some people have a lot of time on their hands.’’