January 09, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Sign-stealer caught in the act?

by Jocelyn Dong

A digital photograph catching a thief red-handed has become the latest piece of evidence in the case of disappearing lawn signs in Downtown North. However, due to the reluctance of the resident who snapped the shot to press charges, the sign pincher remains at large.

For about a month, nighttime thieves have targeted lawn signs supporting the city's traffic-management program in the neighborhood north of Lytton Avenue. Residents bought and posted the signs to voice their opinion about the six-month trial installation of seven blockades on Downtown North streets. The roadblocks, which turned some streets into peaceful cul-de-sacs while increasing traffic on others, have elicited controversy from the start. City officials are discussing whether to leave them in, take them out, or modify the plan.

Downtown North resident Steve Fram supports the traffic measures, and it was his sign that got swiped in the wee hours Sunday morning.

According to Fram, he was letting his noisy cat out at 4:30 a.m. when he noticed a black Cadillac in front of his home and a man walking onto the Frams' lawn, plucking out their sign. Under the stranger's arm was another, already pilfered sign, Fram recounted earlier this week.

Concerned about his family's safety, Fram grabbed his digital camera and staked out the area, photographing the sign-snatcher twice as he returned to his Cadillac. The man appeared to be wearing a cap and bomber jacket.

As Fram snapped a shot of the stranger's license plate, he said, the alleged thief got out of his car and confronted him. The thief asked him what he was doing and grabbed at Fram's right arm.

At that point, Fram recalled, he loudly told the thief he would be calling 911 and returned to his home. The stranger drove off.

Police Agent Tami Gage said this week that a Menlo Park man was stopped shortly thereafter, based on Fram's information, but that officers didn't find any signs in his car. Because Fram declined to press charges for the misdemeanor petty theft, the police were prevented from investigating the man's possible connection to the crime, Gage said.

Fram said he considered pressing charges, but ultimately didn't believe an arrest would help the neighborhood nor improve his family's safety. Aside from the dangers of confronting a stranger at 4:30 a.m., he thought that sign stealing is "a bit of a sideshow" to the traffic controversy.

"I don't think this is the way to solve problems," he said.

Jocelyn Dong can be e-mailed at jdong@paweekly.com

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