Street sign theft

[1] Although theft often seems arbitrary, signs with unusual or amusing names tend to be stolen more frequently.

Sometimes considered to be a prank by the perpetrators, the theft is often costly and inconvenient for the municipality or agency that owns the sign, and it poses a danger to traffic.

In 1997, after a collision which killed three people, three young adults in the United States who stole a stop sign from the intersection where the crash occurred were found guilty of manslaughter.

[6][7] Many jurisdictions place stickers on street signs warning of the legal punishment for their theft.

Some cities (e.g. Toronto) use specially designed bolts to attach signs and prevent removal.

A sticker on the back of this Illinois street sign is intended to deter theft.
Penny Lane in Liverpool, where the sign has been painted onto the wall
Signs prohibiting public consumption of cannabis in Amsterdam were frequent targets of theft.
Swedish moose warning sign
The residents of Shitterton , a small village in Dorset , England, collectively purchased this large stone sign to deter frequent theft.
A milepost 420 on U.S. Route 12 in Washington that replaced a mile marker that was prone to theft
A street sign in Montgomery County, Maryland that has had its vowels removed to deter theft, rendering "Morningwood" as "M rn ngw d"