Crime & Safety

Man Charged in Theft of Political Sign in Laurel

Candidates report that sign theft is a growing problem.

Laurel Police have charged a Connecticut man in the theft of a political sign--a growing problem in the city as the Nov. 1 election draws closer, police and candidates say.

According to the police report, the incident occurred Oct. 6 shortly after 8:30 p.m. at the Tampico Grill along the 40 block of Washington Boulevard.

A code enforcement officer for the city reported that he witnessed Orlando Abreu, 34, of New Britain, CT, remove a political sign from in front of the restaurant. The sign was in support of mayoral candidate Mike Sarich, according to the police report.

Find out what's happening in Laurelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Abreu told police that he was standing outside the restaurant with friends when he was approached by two females, whom the report identified as city employees. He told police he was asked to remove the sign and take it to the women's car.

Abreu complied, but told police that once he began to follow the women to their car, one of them instructed him to throw the sign in the dumpster. Abreu was subsequently arrested and charged with theft, according to the report.

Find out what's happening in Laurelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Laurel Police have been investigating political signage theft over the last month. Mayor Craig Moe said about 70 of his signs have been stolen since the election cycle began and Council President Mike Leszcz said he's lost about 10 signs due to theft.

Sarich said he held the Moe administration responsible for the theft.

"I'm disappointed that members of the Moe administration are implicated," he said, though no charges were filed against anyone connected to the city.

Moe responded that the case was being investigated. 

"As long as I have been in politics, I've never touched signs or orchestrated others to," he said. "[The employees] didn't touch his sign...I expect employees to tell the truth and if that's the truth, that becomes part of the [police] report."


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