‘Tis the season for political lawn jobs: Orange Police Blotter

ORANGE, Ohio

Criminal damaging, theft: Orangewood Drive

A resident reported Oct. 8 that he woke up and noticed tire tracks across his front yard, with four of his political campaign signs missing.

His Ring doorbell camera did not capture the incident and the neighbors across the street had no footage either.

In this case, the stolen signs were for the Harris-Walz presidential ticket, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, voting “Yes” on state Issue 1 and Judge Lisa Forbes for Ohio Supreme Court

Police took photos of the tire track damage as the investigation continued. Last month, Orange police also posted an advisory on their Facebook page captioned  “Political Statement or Theft?”

The post stated in part that “the Constitution affords all of us the right to display our support for the candidate of our choosing by way of lawn signs, flags” and so on.

“It also protects each of us from theft,” police added. “Please know that the unauthorized removal of political signs is a theft offense,” subject to arrest, prosecution to the fullest extent of the law and possible jail time.

Orange police further asked any witnesses to be good neighbors and report any suspicious activity.

Theft (motor vehicle parts or accessories): Orange Place

A woman came to the police station Oct. 3 to report that she’d parked her Mitsubishi SUV in the southwest corner of the lot at Extended Stay North around 9 p.m. the night before.

When she returned at 7:30 a.m. she discovered that her catalytic converter had been sawed off and taken. She conferred with hotel management and learned that no footage of the building’s exterior was available.

Damage to property: Lander Road

A woman came to the police station around 9 a.m. Oct. 3 to report that as she was driving her child to school at the Heritage Christian Academy that morning, heading northbound on Lander, she struck an unknown mailbox causing minor damage to her passenger side mirror.

At that point, she continued driving to school to complete the drop-off. Afterward, she went back to see if any damage was done to a mailbox.

However, she was unable to find one with damage after surveying the mailboxes between Emery and Harvard roads and wanted to check with police on how to proceed.

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