News

May 15, 2009

Campaign signs stolen in Duryea mayor race

Three candidates, who agreed to run clean campaigns, said they don’t know who did it.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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DURYEA – While the three candidates for borough mayor agreed to run clean campaigns, some of their supporters – or detractors – might have other ideas.

A supporter of candidate Ken Salvo contacted The Times Leader to report that several of Salvo’s campaign signs had been stolen from people’s properties last weekend.

Salvo confirmed that at least two large signs and about a dozen smaller yard signs were stolen.

Salvo said he found on Saturday one of the large signs on the ground in the woods about 20 feet back from the Foote Avenue location where it had been erected.

“I’m upset because it’s money coming out of my pocket and the pockets of the people I’m running with,” said Salvo, who is teamed with four council candidates.

“I don’t think the race is heated between me and Mayor (Keith) Moss. I think it’s more the supporters. … The supporters are taking it more drastically than the candidates,” Salvo said.

Police Chief Nick Lohman confirmed that Salvo filed several police reports about the missing signs. He said Moss also reported signs missing.

Lohman said the two have had some signs stolen over the last several weeks, but most were taken this past weekend.

But, Lohman said, an investigation revealed that the property owner admitted to removing the large sign Salvo found in the woods because it was blocking his view from a driveway.

Lohman was hoping video surveillance cameras at businesses around town might provide some clues, “but right now, we don’t have any active leads.”

Moss, who is running for a third term, said some of his campaign signs were stolen in previous campaigns, “but not as many as I lost this time – about two dozen.”

He said one property owner told him a sign was missing, and he replaced it. The next day it was missing again. And about three weeks ago, he said, he came home from work and found one of his campaign signs thrown in his driveway.

Moss said he will offer a small reward for information leading to an arrest.

Moss said he had separate conversations with Salvo and William Cadwalder Jr., who is also running for mayor, and they agreed to run “clean campaigns.” Neither Moss nor Salvo believe their supporters were responsible.

Attempts to reach Cadwalder for comment were unsuccessful.

Lohman said two people from Avoca were charged with stealing campaign signs for Luzerne County Sheriff Michael Savokinas two years ago. Suspects can be charged with different degrees of theft by unlawful taking depending on the value of the signs stolen, he said.

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