POLICE PROBE LIKELY BOOBY TRAPPED POLITICAL SIGNS

Montville — Town and state police are investigating an apparent homemade booby trap found around political signs on Old Colchester Road on Thursday.

Someone placed three pieces of plywood with large nails sticking up around the signs on the shoulder near Old Colchester Road and Forsyth Road, Montville Police Lt. Leonard Bunnell said Friday in a news release.

The wood and nails, which had been concealed with loose grass, posed a risk to pedestrians and vehicles, state police said later Friday in a release. The area is a popular jogging route, located near a licensed day care facility and could attract trick-ortreaters on Halloween.

The signs, advertising candidates for Montville’s school board and Town Council, were placed in the grass outside a Frontier substation. The nails were an apparent attempt to flatten tires of the cars of would-be vandals who might try to run over the signs, Bunnell said.

The police department often gets complaints about political signs being stolen or tampered with around the time of municipal elections, he said, and this year has been no exception.

Police have removed the plywood and are keeping it at the police department, he said. If officers are able to determine who is responsible, that person or persons could face a charge of reckless endangerment.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to call Bunnell at (860) 892-6107 or Resident Trooper Sergeant Mark Juhola at (860) 848-7040. People also may call the tip line, (860) 892-6191.