2020 OCT 10 ISSUE: TEENS NABBED FOR DESTRUCTION OF POLITICAL SIGNS

With the 2020 election in Sandoval County and the nation swirling and twirling towards the vote, political signs have been popping up around the village and environs. For reasons many find tough to comprehend, some people are either defacing or removing signs promoting candidates with whom they are at odds. Adolescent stuff? Frank Wirtz posted on social media late last month a tale that read in part, “There was, in our community, a rather over-zealous neighbor (Neighbor 1) who did not like one of the candidates. This neighbor, devoid of a sense of respect for the opposition and in cowardice fashion, laid siege to the candidate’s sign with a knife in order to send a message to the candidate.

“Little did Neighbor 1 know that this actually served an opposite affect. Not only did this not discourage or frighten the candidate, the candidate’s resolve strengthened.  “In addition to that, some of the neighbors who were undecided in candidate selection realized the sort of person who might deface, steal, or damage someone’s property is not a good representative of the opposition. “One of these “other” neighbors, Neighbor 2, was a gentle soul, caring and full of empathy. Neighbor 2 tended to the injured sign and carefully nursed it back to health. Applying tape, and ministering to its wounds.”

On October 2, Bert Coxe emailed this: “I have seen the reports on TV about Trump signs being vandalized in and around Albuquerque.  However, I personally am only aware of Biden signs being taken —especially those taken from people’s yards in Corrales and Rio Rancho.  “Corrales Indivisible and the Sandoval County Federation of Democratic Women (SCFDW) had printed and purchased 200 signs and placed them throughout Rio Rancho and Corrales.  I am guessing that, by now, at least 50 percent, costing more than $1,000, have been stolen.  Last night, approximately ten signs were stolen from homes along West Ella in Corrales, including two at my house, one of which was screwed into my wooden fence.”

Norm Dawson, of 1247 West Ella Drive, weighed in, too. “One of the residents on West Ella was putting up a homemade sign, and the Corrales police showed up and said a person on another street saw someone taking away signs. That person got a picture of the vehicle’s license plate and informed the police.” Other residents said that “a red truck came down their street and those within were taking all the Biden signs. A neighbor happened to be outside and asked his wife to dial 911 while he took down their license plate number.  The police came and took a report.”

“Since the signs were on their properties, removing them is a crime.  The police asked these folks who had signs taken if they wanted to prosecute and they all said yes.”  Corrales police indicated October 5 that the identified suspects were teenagers, and noted that their victims asked for apologies and an opportunity to speak with them and their families.