(This story was posted on the Web site of the Hamilton County Reporter Monday afternoon. The story is being posted on LarryInFishers.com through a news gathering partnership between my blog and the Reporter)
The Hamilton County Reporter has learned the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a theft of campaign signs.
Reports indicate deputies were dispatched at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Sunday to Schwartz Trailer Sales located in the 100 block of Cicero Road in Noblesville. Schwartz Trailer Sales is owned by Jackson Township Board member Glenn Schwartz, father of Hamilton County Council President Steve Schwartz.
Steve Schwartz confirmed a report was filed after a surveillance camera caught images of a white female removing campaign signs from the northwest corner of 211th St. and Oakbay Drive.
Schwartz told The Reporter the incident reported on Sunday was not the first time his campaign signs have come up missing.
Schwartz is involved in a highly contested race with Noblesville resident Mark Hall for County Council District 3.
A series of images provided to The Reporter show a white female wearing a stocking cap removing Schwartz’s campaign signs.
Although the Sheriff’s Department would not confirm or deny the identity of their person of interest, other sources told The Reporter a follow-up investigation was conducted Sunday which included detectives interviewing Lisa Hall, wife of candidate Mark Hall.
On Monday afternoon Bryant Orem of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department issued the following statement:
“On April 29, 2018, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into missing campaign signs owned by Hamilton County Councilman Steve Schwartz. Schwartz reported campaign signs missing from the northwest corner of 211th Street and Oak Bay Drive. He further advised that signs in that location have come up missing on at least six (6) separate occasion with an estimate of 45 signs removed during recent weeks.
“Councilman Schwartz advised investigators he placed a camera at the location during the most recent incident. Photos of a female suspect removing signs have been turned over to investigators as part of the case. Investigators are working to determine the identity of the suspect.
“While it is still early in the investigation there are several issues for detectives to consider before determining what, if any, criminal or civil charges might be presented to the Prosecutor’s Office. Among these are a determination of whether signs were on public right-of-way or private property and, if on private property, who granted permission to place signs in the leased farm field.”
Monday morning Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andre Miksha told the Reporter Monday his office had no information on the case.
Here is candidate Mark Hall’s response in the form of a news release issued Monday evening:
My opponent trespassed and placed signs without the permission of the Property Owner, Dr. Marc Zipper. There is no question that signs were placed illegally by my opponent on Dr. Zipper’s private property.
Volunteers from our campaign are cooperating with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s department and the campaign has provided them full written documentation of our agreement for signage and exclusive use of the property in question. After our campaign losing so many signs we welcome the investigation into these matters and look forward to a quick resolution of the investigations regarding our missing signs.
On March 19th our Campaign asked permission in writing from Dr. Marc Zipper to place our campaign signs on his properties around Northern Hamilton County.
On March 22nd Dr. Marc Zipper granted our campaign exclusive permission in writing to place signs on his property.
On April 2nd the campaign wrote Dr. Marc Zipper explaining that a clutter of signs was now present on his property.
Just to double check and be certain – In this same communication the campaign asked if he has given any other candidate permission to place signs on his property.
His reply dated April 3rd at 9:22 AM reads –
“I did not give anyone permission to place signs on my property other than you. This is exactly what I was afraid of when I gave you permission. I leave it up to you to decide whether the other signs should be taken down now. I do not want anything to happen to you if you have them removed”. Best of luck with your campaign Dr. Marc Zipper
April 14th at approximately 11:00 AM we informed Councilman Schwartz in person, at the property location, that he did not have permission to place signs at the property and that the owner has people removing everyone’s signs but ours. We offered to show him the written permission. He approached our vehicle aggressively yelling obscenities.
As he neared my wife’s open window yelling and aggressive we pulled away to avoid a physical confrontation. Driving to the West my opponent’s son then gave me the finger and yelled as we drove off.
As agreed with the property owner, our campaign removed two signs this past weekend with permission in writing from the property owner. We seriously question our opponents repeated trespass violations but, in an effort, to take the high road we chose to not make a big deal of it at the time.
The owner has not given my opponents campaign permission to trespass on or place signs on his property.
To date we have had over 100 signs stolen and destroyed. The most recent theft we are aware of occurred as signs were removed from State Road 32/38 intersection in full view of a witness. She reported that our signs were placed in a trunk and replaced with my opponent’s signs. The sheriff’s department is investigating.
Our campaign followed the rules. We obtained permission in writing from the owner of the property and our opponent didn’t. His arrogant disregard for civility, rules and even common courtesy is beneath that of an elected official.
Before I embarked on the campaign, knowing that I was taking on the long-term establishment elected officials, I was warned by several other elected officials of the efforts that would be taken take to protect their power and position. I had no idea they would stoop this low.
Hamilton County will take the time to investigate the stealing of political signs, but won’t take the time to investigate tthe reoccurring vandalism at The Indiana Transportation Museum. There has also been vandalism at ITM board members home and they won’t investigate that either. This is appalling. The current Hamilton County politicians have no honor or respect. Even the police officers have told the museum that they have been told that not to investigate the vandalism at ITM. The vandals even spray painted their names on some of the vandalized rail cars and they still have made no effort to investigate.