WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Thousands of Street Signs Stolen in Tallapoosa County

Thousands of Street Signs Stolen in Tallapoosa County

You've heard how important it is to have your house number visible. But what happens when emergency workers can't find your street? It's a potential problem in Tallapoosa County. Homeowners say finding street names is almost like looking for a needle in a haystack.

It appears there are thieves on the loose. But it's not cars or even cash they're taking. It's street signs. In fact, so many signs are gone, some homeowners are now making their own.

"There are so many streets up here, without signs, you can't find what you're looking for," explained Grace Abbott.

A county list shows thousands of street signs reported missing over the last three years. More than 500 were recorded just since October.

County Engineer Dan Cook says it costs the county almost 20-dollars to replace just one sign, which means the government spends an average of $25,000 of taxpayers' money on the problem each year.

Some of the signs, because of what's written on them, are being replaced more than once. "The two signs stolen most often are 'Booger Hollow Road' and 'That Ain't It Road,' says Cook. "Those signs have been replaced upwards of 45 or 50 times."

It may sound humorous, but stealing signs comes with serious consequences. Ask the homeowners in Tallapoosa County and they will tell you that in an emergency, a little street sign could make a big difference.

"I could get hurt up here and need help," explains Abbott. "So it does concern me a lot." It concerns the county because many of the paramedics there are new to the area.

It's all led to a county-wide crack-down. Homeowners are being asked to report anything suspicious. And, we're told the cases will be prosecuted. Stealing a street sign can cost you up to $50 and up to thirty days in jail.