The Hamilton County Reporter has learned the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a theft of campaign signs.
Reports indicate deputies were dispatched at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Sunday to Schwartz Trailer Sales located in the 100 block of Cicero Road in Noblesville. Schwartz Trailer Sales is owned by Jackson Township Board member Glenn Schwartz, father of Hamilton County Council President Steve Schwartz.
Steve Schwartz confirmed a report was filed after a surveillance camera caught images of a white female removing campaign signs from the northwest corner of 211th St. and Oakbay Drive.
Schwartz told The Reporter the incident reported on Sunday was not the first time his campaign signs have come up missing.
Schwartz is involved in a highly contested race with Noblesville resident Mark Hall for County Council District 3.
A series of images provided to The Reporter show a white female wearing a stocking cap removing Schwartz’s campaign signs.
Although the Sheriff’s Department would not confirm or deny the identity of their person of interest, other sources told The Reporter a follow-up investigation was conducted Sunday which included detectives interviewing Lisa Hall, wife of candidate Mark Hall.
On Monday afternoon Bryant Orem of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department issued the following statement:
“On April 29, 2018, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into missing campaign signs owned by Hamilton County Councilman Steve Schwartz. Schwartz reported campaign signs missing from the northwest corner of 211th Street and Oak Bay Drive. He further advised that signs in that location have come up missing on at least six (6) separate occasion with an estimate of 45 signs removed during recent weeks.
“Councilman Schwartz advised investigators he placed a camera at the location during the most recent incident. Photos of a female suspect removing signs have been turned over to investigators as part of the case. Investigators are working to determine the identity of the suspect.
“While it is still early in the investigation there are several issues for detectives to consider before determining what, if any, criminal or civil charges might be presented to the Prosecutor’s Office. Among these are a determination of whether signs were on public right-of-way or private property and, if on private property, who granted permission to place signs in the leased farm field.”
Monday morning Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andre Miksha told the Reporter Monday his office had no information on the case.
The Reporter’s attempts to contact candidate Mark Hall were unsuccessful.
A press release from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office reads as follows:
On April 29, 2018, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into missing campaign signs owned by Hamilton County Councilman Steve Schwartz. Schwartz reported campaign signs missing from the northwest corner of 211th Street and Oak Bay Drive. He further advised that signs in that location have come up missing on at least six (6) separate occasion with an estimate of 45 signs removed during recent weeks.
Councilman Schwartz advised investigators he placed a camera at the location during the most recent incident. Photos of a female suspect removing signs have been turned over to investigators as part of the case. Investigators are working to determine the identity of the suspect.
While it is still early in the investigation there are several issues for detectives to consider before determining what, if any, criminal or civil charges might be presented to the Prosecutor’s Office. Among these are a determination of whether signs were on public right-of-way or private property and, if on private property, who granted permission to place signs in the leased farm field.
On Monday afternoon, April 30, investigators confirmed the identity of the photographed person as Lisa Hall. Detectives met with Ms. Hall and she has been cooperative in the investigation.
At this time, Investigators are working to determine who has property rights to the location in question and who has permission to place and or remove signs from the location in an effort to determine if any criminal activity has occurred.
Do you think Jeff Hern is giving sign stealing lessons now?
Maybe if the Hamilton County republican swamp would show some integrity by punishing their favored elected officials when they do the same, this might not happen.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/2017/05/24/hamilton-county-councilman-admits-stealing-rivals-campaign-signs-must-send-letter-apology/342029001/
Ok, I get that a candidate has the right to be upset, but filing a police report! Really! How about respecting private property? For over 50 yrs, that I know of, my family has NEVER been asked permission to place people’s signs! Yes, my Dad would always take them down. Just because you drive past the land, doesn’t give anyone the right to advertise there without asking. Even when you let a sign stay, No one ever picks it back up! This is just ridiculous.
The irony. As your paper reported:
“I am going to give you a little bit different perspective,” said Steve Schwartz. “If we are going to start casting stones at Mr. Hern and asking him to resign for a supposed crime he committed there is probably other felonies and people who have had issues on this council and if you want go back and look you might eliminate three to four other members.”
Steve Schwartz defending Jeff Hern’s stealing of signs a couple years ago.
https://readthereporter.com/DailyEdition/2017-06-08.pdf
Probably one of Clifford’s unleashed monkeys! Right Jill Noose? A/k/a BN
So do not cast stones. I think that may be where the integrity lies.
The Hall Campaign website says “With a budget of 160MM in 2018, I can’t stand on the sidelines any longer.” I guess they can’t resist a good sign either!
Lets not blame Mark Hall or his campaign before you know who is responsible. Maybe it is the underhanded people who Steve Schwartz always votes the way they want doing it to sway votes!Maybe it is the people who are tired of the elected people doing underhanded deals to get what they want. Maybe the property owner was not asked permission! There is a lot of reasons why signs could be removed……just stating a few!!!!
Mrs. Hall can’t pull signs regardless of who owns the property unless they own the property. The landowner could. I guess she could argue the landowner gave consent to pull them however again they were not given back. Very similar case to Herns except you have pictures. They found his phone. A heated race and bad emotional judgement on their part. Both were wrong. People have to quit with the accusations of of “underhanded dealing” and other remarks. There is tons of hypocrisy going on and stone throwing in these county races. Not a lot of policy differentiation or what one would do different, just negative accusations. I think I saw earlier where Mrs. Hall was complaining about signs vanishing saying we got “Herned”. I guess Schwartz got his signs “Halled” away. Signs don’t vote, it’s not the worst crime and people need to quit being so self righteous and quit casting stones. We will see if Mrs. Hall gets beat up for years like Mr, Hern has. I pray that does not happen.
MARK HALL’s WIFE TOOK THE SIGNS DOWN and is reportedly being investigated for stealing them (after she admitted it was her in the surveillance footage). If Hall’s campaign had legal rights to do so – Why did she take them down during (what looks to be) the night? Who was driving the car she put the signs in? What happened to the signs? Mark Hall’s campaign response is a sanctimonious deflection from his wife getting caught while blaming his opponent for Lisa’s actions. The situation seems to paint a clearer picture of Mark Hall – a candidate who refuses to take responsibility for his (or his family’s) actions with a wife who does shady things when she thinks no one is looking. At least you know what you are getting with Schwartz … Mark Hall is protesting a bit much to be completely innocent. Not buying the victim act.