Eighty-four street signs disappeared from Cumberland County in North Carolina over two days, and now local law enforcement is searching for a suspect, The News & Observer reports.
A news release from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said the signs, valued at about $20,000, were stolen from 42 intersections between Aug. 12-13.
All of the signs have since been replaced by the Cumberland County Sign Shop, with commendations from the sheriff. The shop “worked diligently and swiftly to replace all the stolen signs from the reported locations,” the release said.
The thefts, however, will have a lasting financial impact. “This blew the sign budget out of the window,” Lt. Patrice Bogertey told WRAL News. “This is not something that we planned for. The fact that this happened is terrible.”
With deputies now looking for the culprit(s), the sheriff’s office is encouraging people in the area to check footage from surveillance and doorbell cameras.
The News & Observer says a motive is unknown, but popular speculation on social media is the signs were stolen for scrap metal.
Read more at The News & Observer.