People stealing yard signs has become a national problem over the last few years, especially during election time. The crime of stealing yard signs has existed since the invention of the yard sign.
Because of this, sign owners have opted to take matters into their own hands. People have devised novel ways to deter sign thieves. Keep on reading to learn more on how to prevent yard signs from being stolen.
So what would you do if a vandal robbed the yard signs that you used a fortune to set up?
You will undoubtedly be enraged and struck by the ambiguity of what to do next. Do you set up booby traps, land mines, or pipe bombs? Well, that may be a bit extreme because one, it’s illegal in most states, and two, you don’t want to endanger people’s lives.
However, you still want to send a strong message out there, so what do you do? Will sprinkling the signs with pepper or applying Vicks send a strong message? Both are invisible to the naked eye and reliable when it comes to handling yard sign crooks. But is that what you want to do?
Some people have gone as far as using dog poop and human fecal as a deterrent! Crazy and a bit extreme, right? Though it might work, this choice is not only ill-advised but also disgusting. Just don’t do it.
Okey! so how do I protect my yard signs from crooks?
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How To Prevent Yard Signs From Being Stolen
If you are thinking of putting up a yard sign, the safest way to safeguard it is to erect it in a well-lit location near your house. If you have surveillance cameras, you can position the signs within the scope of the cameras.
However, sometimes surveillance clips are not always sufficient. If you catch someone on tape plucking your signs and the authorities get hold of them, arguing your case and proving that the yard sign they took is yours can be difficult due to similarities in these signs, especially campaign signs.
Let’s look at different ways of protecting your yard signs from being stolen and vandalism.
How To Alarm Your Yard Sign To Prevent Theft Vandalism
One effective way of protecting your yard signs is using a personal alarm system. It’s pretty simple to set up, but if you have no idea of how to do it, Don’t worry, you can get a local handyperson to fix it for you.
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, here are a few things you will need to alarm your yard sign
- Duct tape or any other serious tape solution
- A wire
- Fishing string
- A simple personal alarm
Setting Up The Alarm System
Ok, let’s set up an alarm system. First, place your sign poster anywhere in your yard. Then cleverly tape the alarm system behind the sign with the trigger pin facing down. After that, make a hook-like thing with the wire and pin it on the ground with the hook facing the alarm pin.
To activate the alarm, loosely connect the trigger pin with the ground hook. This will work as a trigger anytime someone plucks the sign. When a thief pulls the yard sign from the ground, the fishing string will pull the trigger pin, and the alarm will start screeching.
Remember, the alarm system is glued to the sign. No crook will run around with screaming signage; the thief will have no choice but to drop the sign and run away.
Note: Be careful not to cover the alarm speakers with duct tape. The alarm volume will be significantly reduced.
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How To Electrify Your Yard Sign
Though it’s a bit extreme, electrifying your yard sign is a very effective way of preventing yard sign vandalism. All you need to do is to connect the frames of your yard signs to a power source. If a burglar decides to steal your signage, they will get a zap of their life.
Note: be sure to alert your neighbors, especially kids, not to go near the signs; you don’t want to shock your neighbor’s kids.
Using Pepper Spray On Your Yard Sign
This is another checky way to prevent your yard signs from being stolen. Pretty simple but effective because of the skin irritation effect it has on the guy robbing you.
Just smear your signposts with a mixture of Vaseline and pepper. The Vaseline makes it harder to grab while the hot pepper will have an itchy effect on his hands and eyes if he or she gets close enough. You can also add glitter traps on top of this.
The guy will be sprinkled with glitter the minute he grabs the yard sign.
Do Yard Signs Deter Burglars?
Yard signs are widely used to discourage house burglars, but their efficacy as deterrents can be difficult to measure. A Visible yard sign showing the house is under surveillance is an effective way to deter a burglar.
Yard Signs with warnings about dogs, cameras, and weapons tend to be very effective in scaring away burglars.
Is It Against The Law To Steal Or Vandalize Yard Signs?
Stealing and vandalizing yard signs has become common in different parts of the country, especially during the election period.
Although some may consider stealing or vandalizing yard signs to be an act of free speech or civic protest, the rule of law is very clear: the theft or destruction of yard signs is an offense in all states. Trespassing on private land is also a crime in every state.
Different states take somewhat different approaches to penalize stealing and vandalizing yard signs, but most states classify the offense as a misdemeanor. Although misdemeanors are minor crimes, they have significant consequences that may escalate depending on the number of yard signs involved.
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People nowadays are doing everything they can to prevent and discourage potential yard sign theft.
Some will fold up their signs, put them indoors for the night, and mount them back up in the morning. Others will simply keep them out of harm’s way by displaying them on their windows.
Instead of using unethical methods, you can use these simpler and less dangerous ways of protecting your lawn signs.
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