Get Off of My Lawn (Sign)

[More Political Hijinx] In the last days before an election, politics often get petty. Tearing down the other guy's lawn sign is typical, but usually ends up with campaigns pointing fingers at each other and the culprit at large.

One Salt Lake man decided he wasn’t going to take it and made sure a yard sign stealer got snagged.

After having many signs supporting District 6 City Council candidate Roger McConkie disappear during the night, the 2100 South man put down a trap, according to Salt Lake City weekend police reports.

The man trained a video camera on his signs, tied string to the signs and ran the strings inside his house, where he attaching a bell. There, the McConkie supporter slept on the couch, fully dressed, to be ready to catch the thief in action.

At approximately 12:30 a.m. Sunday (Nov. 4) the bells started jingling. Caught red handed the sign-napper sped away in his car, but not before the resident copied down his license plate. Police wrote the video quality was "excellent."

Tracked down at his home by police, the sign stealer admitted taking the yard signs, but denied he any a political motive. He was cited for theft. (Ted McDonough)