08/17/2026
Campaign Signs Are Not Free For The Taking.
A reminder to everyone in our community: If a political campaign sign is lawfully placed on private property with the property owner's permission, it does not belong to you. Do not remove it, steal it, damage it, or take it home.
Under Virginia Code § 18.2-96, taking someone else's property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it can constitute larceny. When the value is less than $1,000, Virginia classifies simple larceny as petit larceny, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Virginia Code § 15.2-109 also recognizes the right to display political campaign signs on private property when the property owner has given permission.
If a campaign sign is taken or damaged, please document what happened, preserve any video or photographs, and report the incident to the appropriate local law-enforcement agency. Please don't confront or threaten anyone yourself.
Political disagreements are part of democracy. Stealing or damaging someone's campaign property is not.
Respect your neighbors, respect private property, and let voters make their own choices at the poles.
Respectfully, Chief Jared Stanley
