CAMERAS LOOKING FOR SIGN THIEVES

PHOENIX - Disappearing signs are one of those facts of life during
political campaigns.

But a spate of thefts has gotten the attention of the Maricopa County
Attorney's Office - and has spawned a hidden camera investigation. So far
it has produced fuzzy video images of two people tearing down some signs
and a few leads from their broadcast on TV but no arrests.

Hundreds of signs have vanished, both in Maricopa and Pima counties. And
the main targets of the sign thefts appear to be the campaign against
Proposition 203 - the medical marijuana initiative - and the gubernatorial
efforts of Democrat Janet Napolitano.

Barnett Lotstein, a special assistant Maricopa County attorney, said that
with the signs costing $60 or more apiece, this is more than just petty
theft. And Scott Bales, an attorney for the Napolitano campaign, said in a
formal complaint to Lottstein's office that the practice, which has taken
300 signs from the Democratic nominee, is starting to infringe on the free
speech rights of affected candidates and issues.

Gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon also has been affected, losing
somewhere between 60 and 100 signs, according to campaign publicist Camilla
Strongin. But the GOP contender has not filed a formal complaint.

Lottstein said his agency would not have gotten involved if only a dozen or
so signs had disappeared or someone had been busy drawing a mustache on a
candidate's face.

He said the sheer volume of missing signs, coupled with the fact that the
thefts were taking place all over the county, convinced investigators this
was an organized effort.

He said the cameras, mounted on poles, were set up at two sites in Phoenix
where signs had repeatedly disappeared. One produced nothing. But the other
captured thefts on four separate days.

Lottstein agreed with Bales that First Amendment issues are at stake.

He noted, for example, that Battleground Arizona, which is waging the
anti-203 campaign, lost something in the neighborhood of 300 signs. At more
than $60 each, he said, that amounts to close to $20,000 - a significant
chunk of the campaign money raised so far.

"For some campaigns, that's the only way of communicating with the
electorate," he said.

"It's not just theft," Lottstein said. "It's interfering with an election."

His agency has set up a hot line for tips at (602) 506-7111. The phone is
staffed during normal business hours.