Signs opposing digital billboard stolen
TREDYFFRIN >> There’s a mystery afoot in Tredyffrin Township: Who is stealing yard signs that announce opposition to a proposed digital billboard?
Never fear, the Tredyffrin Police Department is on the case.
“We’re acting looking into it,” said Police Superintendent Michael Beaty. “Any tips from community are welcome.” Beaty said that when caught, the perpetrator could be charged with theft. “We don’t think it’s appropriate,” he said. “We will hold them accountable.”
More than 70 signs have been removed, said Pattye Benson, Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust president, blogger and a community activist who is leading the charge against the proposed digital billboard at routes 30 and 252 in Paoli.
Benson said the signs, stakes and shipping charges cost about $600. She still has about 100 signs in her garage but is unsure whether to release them until there is an arrest.
She spoke to the Board of Supervisors about the thefts on Nov. 19 and plans to return to the next BOS meeting on Dec. 3, saying that she agrees the theft of the signs, which are political speech, is “a threat to our First Amendment rights.”
Benson told the board, in part, “Over the last 3 weeks, I have been inundated with residents wanting a BAN the Digital Billboard lawn sign for their yard. To make certain that the signs were placed correctly on private property, I hand delivered all the signs and placed them in the yards myself – I purposely waited until after Election Day earlier this month so they would not be accidently picked up with the campaign signs following the election.
“Approximately 100 signs were put on private property throughout Tredyffrin Township – Paoli, Malvern, Devon, Berwyn and some went to Easttown since Election Day. These signs were paid for by contributions from many residents including myself to the GoFundMe campaign. In the less than 2 weeks since putting the BAN the Digital Billboard signs up, they have all but disappeared — trespassing and theft of personal property. This is not a joke,” she said, and listed locations where signs have been taken. “If you look around the township, you will see left over political campaign signs, real estate signs for new developments that are not in the township, signs looking for Kraft bus drivers, firewood signs, Red Fox Tredyffrin Library signs – you name it – you will see these signs are all over in public areas of the township, not placed on private township resident’s property and yet they remain untouched, some for months on end,” said Benson. “And here we have over 50 signs on private property of township taxpayers – and they are all stolen.”
Beaty said that the police department takes the matter seriously and said most of the signs were stolen during the overnight hours.
Meanwhile, residents object to the proposed billboard, to be installed by Catalyst Outdoor because an historic building, the old Clockworks, would be razed. They also fear it might cause drivers to be distracted and increase accidents and say that it would not be in character with the ambience of the township.
More than 3,300 people have signed an online petition protesting the billboard at: https://www. change.org/p/tredyffrin-townshipboard-of-supervisors-ban-digitalbillboard-in-paoli-tredyffrin-twpchester-county-pa