Spartz Sign Thief Still at Large as Campaign Asks Hoosiers for Help

He is a thief who needs to get a life and arrested. Looks like a teacher?

FISHERS, Ind. — More than a week after surveillance images apparently captured a man removing campaign signs belonging to U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, the mystery of his identity remains unresolved.

As of Oct. 7, Hoosier Enquirer found no public announcement from police or the Spartz campaign indicating that the man has been identified, arrested or charged.

Spartz's campaign released photographs in late September showing a man near one of the Republican congresswoman's large campaign signs at approximately 11 p.m. on Sept. 28. Another photograph showed the signposts standing empty afterward.

The campaign said the same individual had been caught on camera stealing large Spartz signs on multiple occasions and appealed to the public for help identifying him.

“Elections are decided at the ballot box, not by stealing campaign signs,” Spartz said in the campaign's announcement.

The incident comes during an increasingly contentious race for Indiana's 5th Congressional District between Spartz and Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford.

Spartz's campaign suggested supporters of her political opponents were responsible for the thefts. Ford's campaign, however, told the Indianapolis Star that it was unaware of Spartz's large signs being stolen. There has been no publicly reported evidence establishing that Ford, his campaign or his supporters were responsible.

The Star reported Sept. 30 that the person responsible appeared to remain at large. HE found no subsequent publicly reported arrest in searches conducted Oct. 7.

Whatever the man's political motivation — if any — campaign signs are private property. Political disagreements are settled through speech and ultimately at the ballot box, not by taking another candidate's property.

The Spartz campaign has asked anyone who recognizes the man to contact the campaign or the Fishers Police Department at 317-595-3300.

Indiana voters will decide the Spartz-Ford contest on Nov. 3.