Pam Pouchot said surveillance cameras captured people stealing signs from her yard in September.
YORK COUNTY, Va. — A Yorktown homeowner is speaking out after claiming multiple people stole and vandalized campaign signs on his property.
“I’m angry. This is the sixth time the sign has been stolen. Yeah, there’s a security camera over there,” said homeowner Pam Pouchot.
Pouchot said she is tired of people stealing campaign signs from her property. On Friday, someone stole the Harris Waltz sign from her yard. She had previously had several campaign signs stolen.
“Today was the first time I got a Harris Waltz, because they were hard to come by. Of course, it fired last night at 5:26, so 26 hours, maybe 25 hours. It took a while,” Pushot said.
She said surveillance video showed multiple people stealing signs from her yard in September.
“I’m an independent,” Pushot said. “I’m not a Democrat or a Republican. But I support this particular candidate. I want to be able to sign out without having my sign vandalized, torn up, or stolen. I think so.”
The York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office recently posted a photo asking for the public’s help in identifying the man who stole the Harris sign from Poocheaux’s property.
Sheriff Ron Montgomery said he has not seen properties targeted multiple times for campaign signs, but there will be consequences if the suspects are arrested.
“Because the value of the signs was less than $1,000, these charges are petty theft, punishable by 12 months in prison, a $2,500 fine, or both,” Montgomery said. “If you stole more than $1,000 worth of signs at one time, it would be a felony in Virginia.”
Montgomery encourages people to report such crimes if they come across them. Meanwhile, Pouchot has a message for those who continue to encroach on property.
“They think they have the right to do this. Guys, you don’t have that right. It’s against the law and if you do it, you’ll hopefully pay the price. ”Pouchot said. .
Montgomery said the department has arrested two people on suspicion of theft in Yorktown and is searching for other offenders.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jen Quiggans posted a video to “X” showing someone stealing a sign from a property in Virginia Beach. She said, in part, “this kind of politics is not who we are.”