Can You Be Charged With Theft for Taking Bandit Signs

My question involves personal property located in the State of:Arizona

Bandit signs are illegal in my county (Pinal), as they are in most counties across the country. It's my understanding that once the violator places the sign in the ground or nails it to a utility pole, it would be considered abandoned property. At the very least, it should be classified as trash. So what would make picking up these illegally placed signs a crime?

The reason I ask is because I received a rather terse message from the County Code Compliance Manager stating in part: "The type of action that you were involved in could results in civil action or possibly criminal action being brought against you by the owners of these signs."

First of all, I see no statute on the books that renders picking up roadside debri or abandoned property a crime. As far as I'm concerned, those ugly signs are no different than someone tossing an old mattress or sofa on the side of the road. And how can I be faced with civil action from the violator? After all, they placed the sign and left it there, with no intention of ever reclaiming it. It seems to me, they relinquished any ownership of the sign.

In the event that I am charged with something, I'd like to be prepared. Can anyone enlighten me on this subject?

Thanks!

Sorry, they are not abandoned property in the US. You can be charged with theft.

I have a similar issue here in Phoenix.

Business signs get placed in the dirt outside my wall. It's on city property out there and it's a violation of the city code.

My solution is to note the phone number, lay the sign face down on the ground, call the number, get the business person on the phone and tell him that he's violating city code and that if he doesn't remove it I'll have him cited. It's usually gone within a day.

But I don't take or dispose of the signs because that is theft, regardless of how you rationalize it.

Yard sale signs don't bother me as they are usually retrieved by the end of the weekend.

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Quoting Disagreeable

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Sorry, they are not abandoned property in the US. You can be charged with theft.

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How is that NOT abandoned property? What makes it different from tossing a bag of trash or an old mattress on the side of the road. I'm really having a hard time digesting this.:confused:

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Quoting adjusterjack

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I have a similar issue here in Phoenix.

Business signs get placed in the dirt outside my wall. It's on city property out there and it's a violation of the city code.

My solution is to note the phone number, lay the sign face down on the ground, call the number, get the business person on the phone and tell him that he's violating city code and that if he doesn't remove it I'll have him cited. It's usually gone within a day.

But I don't take or dispose of the signs because that is theft, regardless of how you rationalize it.

Yard sale signs don't bother me as they are usually retrieved by the end of the weekend.

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I feel the same way about yard sale signs.

The deal that I have made with Pinal County Code Enforcement is that <supposedly> if I email or phone them with locations of signs, they will dispatch an officer to retrieve them. I have offered to assist them, but they have turned me down. Those signs make me sick to my stomach when I see them and I cannot stand to wait from someone from the county to get around to removing them.

I'll see how this arrangement works out. Meanwhile, I have been warned to leave the signs alone.

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Quoting Pampurrs

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How is that NOT abandoned property? What makes it different from tossing a bag of trash or an old mattress on the side of the road. I'm really having a hard time digesting this.:confused:

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If you park your car unlawfully, is it abandoned? Anybody can take it and keep it?

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Quoting Mr. Knowitall

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If you park your car unlawfully, is it abandoned? Anybody can take it and keep it?

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That's a good point. I would argue that it has to do with intent. The driver of the car intends to retrieve it some point. The person who tosses the mattress on the side of the road, or the person who nails a sign to a utility pole has no intention of retrieving it. That's where the distintion lies in my mind. The challenge of course would be proving the intent.

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Quoting Pampurrs

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Those signs make me sick to my stomach when I see them and I cannot stand to wait from someone from the county to get around to removing them.

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Over-react much?

Take a chill pill.

I don't like them but I don't let them tear me up like that.

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Quoting adjusterjack

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Over-react much?

Take a chill pill.

I don't like them but I don't let them tear me up like that.

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We all have our likes and dislikes, and pet peeves. I'm sure you have some of your own. Mine happens to be that I dislike seeing my communty trashed up with these ugly signs.

You're the one that needs the chill pill. Move on to another thread if all you have to offer is a negative and useless remark.

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Quoting Pampurrs

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That's a good point. I would argue that it has to do with intent.

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They have no intent to abandon their signs. So there is no distinction.

I suggest you move to another community.

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Quoting Pampurrs

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We all have our likes and dislikes, and pet peeves. I'm sure you have some of your own. Mine happens to be that I dislike seeing my communty trashed up with these ugly signs.

You're the one that needs the chill pill. Move on to another thread if all you have to offer is a negative and useless remark.

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