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Removing, moving campaign signs is illegal

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer recently issued a reminder that moving or removing a political campaign sign is illegal in Florida.

On Sept. 21, Tokajer issued the following statement: “As election season is upon us, it is important to be respectful to those running for election. If you remove election signs from property you could be charged with theft. If you are not a police officer, code officer or the property owner, you are not allowed to move or remove election signs. You saying you did not believe it was properly placed does not give you permission to move or remove election signs.”

Tokajer advised calling the police department or the code compliance department if you think a campaign sign has been improperly placed, removed or tampered with.

On Monday, Sept. 28, Officer Alex Hurt responded to a call from a resident who reported a missing campaign sign.

According to the police department incident report, “While on routine patrol, I was dispatched in reference to a theft of a political sign. I met with the complainant who advised he had a sign for Mark Hebden for city commission in his front yard that was removed without his permission. Complainant advised that the sign was gifted to him and he did not purchase it. The complainant last saw the sign Monday evening and has not seen it since. The complainant does not wish to press charges at this time.”

Police chief addresses campaign sign thefts

Police chief addresses campaign sign thefts

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Police Chief Bill Tokajer reminds everyone that it’s illegal to remove a political campaign sign from someone else’s property.

According to Tokajer, all four Holmes Beach City Commission candidates have had their signs removed.

The four candidates seeking the three commission seats to be filled by the city election that concludes on Tuesday, Nov. 4 are Steve Oelfke, Jessica Patel, Terry Schaefer and Carol Soustek.

Tokajer addressed the missing campaign signs during the Oct. 16 city commission meeting.

“We received a call yesterday about some political signs that were taken from Ms. Patel,” he told the commission.

He also referenced a call he received earlier from Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short while that day’s commission meeting was in progress. Short told Tokajer someone delivered 11 Patel campaign signs to Anna Maria City Hall the previous day and there was surveillance video of the unknown person who did so.

“Every candidate has had signs stolen. That is a crime. It happens every year,” Tokajer.

He also noted the two-year city commission terms set forth in the city charter result in a city election taking place every year. He said the annual election cycles often pit residents against other residents in terms of which candidate or candidates they support.

When contacted the following day, Tokajer said he received and reviewed the Anna Maria surveillance video photographs.

“If we can identify this person, we can find out what their purpose was and where the signs were taken from. Each of our candidates had signs removed by someone unknown, for purposes unknown. If someone thinks a sign is improperly displayed, they need to contact code enforcement for their respective city. Code enforcement will educate the owner of the sign to make sure they are properly displayed,” Tokajer said.

Police chief addresses campaign sign thefts
Police Chief Bill Tokajer said stealing a campaign sign is a crime. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Holmes Beach city code prohibits placing signs on city-owned property and in city-owned rights of way. City code also prohibits placing a sign on a property without the property owner’s permission.

When contacted on Wednesday, Oct. 22, Tokajer said he wasn’t aware of the person in the video and the photographs being identified.