Byelection candidate upset after campaign signs allegedly stolen

Ward 2 byelection candidate is speaking out, saying his signs were stolen on two occasions.

A candidate in Windsor’s Ward 2 byelection feels he’s been targeted after multiple campaign signs were allegedly stolen in recent weeks.

Sam Romano told CTV News that two separate incidents that led to the disappearance of his signs were caught on camera.

The first incident along Tecumseh Road West, Romano said, happened in the early hours of Sept. 9 at a business that agreed to have his signs on display at the front of the property.

“We caught him on camera. It was an individual wearing a gray hoodie. [Their face] obviously was covered, so we didn’t get a really good picture of him,” Romano explained.

The campaign signs, along with signs for the nearby automotive shop, were stolen, he noted. Later that morning, the business’s signs were returned, but Romano’s were not.

Days later, on Sept. 13, Romano reported that one of his signs was taken from a business near Sandwich Street and Prince Road during the middle of the day.

“Pulls into the parking lot, gets out of his car, grabs one of my signs, puts it in his back seat, and then takes off,” Romano said, describing footage of the incident.

In both instances, Romano said he was “pissed” and left feeling like his campaign was being targeted.

He reported both incidents to the Windsor Police Service.

“When I saw the actual individuals doing it, it really disgusted me. Like, this is a municipal election, right?”

In response to inquiries from AM800 News, police confirmed they are investigating.

“We don’t have specific information on whether other complainants have come forward regarding signs being stolen,” a spokesperson wrote.

While sign-stealing is known to occur during elections, it’s less common during lower-tier government elections.

“This is Ward 2, you know, we want to improve Ward 2, and this is, you know, this is the kind of the thing that’s going on in the municipal election,” Romano said.

At both locations, he said the plan is to put up new signs.

-With files from AM800’s Dustin Coffman.