MURRYSVILLE, Pa. — Several neighbors are frustrated and disturbed after some of their political lawn signs were stolen and damaged in a Murrysville neighborhood.
One vandal was caught on camera slashing a sign with a knife in front of a home on Cherry Drive in the middle of the night Sunday.
“This is concerning,” one neighbor said who didn’t want to be identified. “Showing up in masks with knives, instilling fear. It feels to me that they’re not trying to change a vote; they’re trying to instill fear in the other side.”
The same home on Cherry Drive was several times. In surveillance video from Saturday, two people are seen jumping out of a truck and ripping the Harris signs out of the ground.
A few nights earlier, two vandals in a car are seen on video kicking the signs down.
The homeowner didn’t want to do an interview with Channel 11 but said his signs were damaged at least seven times. He kept replacing them because he said he didn’t want to be bullied.
He hid security cameras on his property and left a note for the suspects saying, “Dear sign thief, please stop stealing or damaging my political signage. "
The note goes on to say he has them on camera, adding, “If you do not like my signage, please contact me and let’s rationally discuss the issue.”
But it didn’t stop.
Other neighbors were also targeted.
“Every time we put up more stuff, it’s vandalized,” the neighbor said. “They’re becoming more aggressive.”
Police Chief Tom Kusinsky told Channel 11 that over the last few weeks as the election season heated up, so did campaign vandalism around the community.
“This is inappropriate behavior and it’s private property,” the neighbor said. “You have a right to post what you want to on your property.”
A frustrated neighbor got cell phone video of the license plate as two of the vandals were driving away. Officers were able to track down two teenage boys.
Chief Kusinsky, however, said the homeowner didn’t want to press charges and would rather talk with them.
His neighbor believes they should be charged.
“There has to be some consequences for these actions, and if it is a one-time isolated incident, I would be more pressed to let it go, but it’s consistent,” she said.
Late Monday night, the homeowner told Channel 11 he got a voicemail from the dad of one of the teens. He apologized and said he wanted to see what his son could do to make things right. The homeowner told Channel 11 reporter Antoinette DelBel, he might suggest community service.
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