From Deseret News archives:

Man rigs up system to catch sign thief

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007 12:07 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Political yard signs tied to alarm bells with string and makeshift video surveillance system helped a Sugar House man interrupt a series of thefts.

Salt Lake police said the victim had placed signs in his front yard in support of a Salt Lake City Council candidate and had several of them disappear. Frustrated, the man created the makeshift system to catch the sign thief, police said.

"He put a sign in his yard and put a string that went from the sign into his living room and had bells attached to the string," Salt Lake City police detective Jared Wihongi said Monday. "He slept the night in his living room fully dressed so he could be ready."

About 12:30 a.m. Saturday, police said, the bells woke the man up. The man ran outside and saw the thief.

Police said the man got into a car parked down the street near 2000 East and 2100 South. The homeowner got a license plate and called police.

Officers responding to the call looked at the videotape and traced the plate to Gary Robert Heintz, 52. Under questioning, Wihongi said, Heintz did not give any reason for taking the signs.

Story continues below
"He claimed he didn't have any political motives or have any feelings that give any motive," Wihongi said. "He just told the police he'd been involved in a 'strange incident' and didn't know why he did it."

Police cited Heintz with attempted theft, a class B misdemeanor.


E-MAIL: bwinslow@desnews.com

Recent comments

hope he spends a long time in jail. as a volunteer that works long...

buzzards27 | Nov. 7, 2007 at 5:14 a.m.

Would love to read final sentencing of Heintz. If the max sentence is...

cliff in NJ | Nov. 6, 2007 at 5:00 p.m.

For sure!

I think it's great when someone has finally had enough,...

K | Nov. 6, 2007 at 9:57 a.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

If obama did it, chucky ain't happy about it. Period.

Thank you HDJ. The word Niagara denoting Narrow Neck in the Seneca language...

Utahns want health care reform bills

So conseranauts keep saying they believe in free markets and also believe...

It's nice to see rational lines of thought, even in utah. We can make health...

The forgotten ship: USS Utah

To the Crew of the USS UTAH and to all veterans, thank you for your service....

Letters: Crashing the monarchy

Actually the Pres of the USA has monarchical powers or, more exactly, the...

I live in the midwest where there is still a lot of anti-Mormon propaganda in...

Wolf recovery at crossroads

The Arizona Strip near Kanab is the perfect place to reintroduce canis lobos...

I just returned from a visit to Mexico via LA. LAX is a dive compared to the...

Y., U. to learn bowl destinations

I thought children should go to church on Sunday morning? What are you guys...

Advertisements