Street sign theft occurs when street signs are stolen, to be used as decorations, sold as scrap metal or to avoid obeying the law by claiming later the sign was not there. Although the theft often seems arbitrary, signs with unusual or amusing names tend to be stolen more frequently. Sometimes considered to be a prank by the perpetrators, the theft is often costly and inconvenient (and can possibly be dangerous) for the municipality or agency that owns the sign. In the United States, each street sign generally costs between $100 and $500 to replace.
In law
The theft of traffic signage is typically treated like any other theft with respect to prosecution and sentencing. However, people who steal street signs may be found criminally liable for any injury or death resulting from the removal of a sign. For example, in 1997, three young adults in the United States were found guilty of manslaughter for stealing a stop sign which later resulted in a deadly collision. It was the first time street sign theft had led to a manslaughter charge in the country.
Prevention
Some jurisdictions place stickers on street signs warning of the legal punishment for their theft. Some cities (e.g. Toronto) use specially designed bolts to attach signs and prevent removal. With some of the more popular street names such as Liverpool's famous "Penny Lane", authorities gave up the practice of constantly replacing signs and simply resorted to painting the name of the street on the walls. Other jurisdictions offer replica street signs for sale as a legitimate alternative to theft. For route markers or mile markers that contain numbers with suggestive meanings, such as 69, 420, or 666, the number may be changed to avoid sign theft.
Examples
Austria
After frequent thefts of its welcome sign at the town boundary, the Austrian village of Fucking installed theft-resistant signs in 2005. The town changed its name to Fugging in 2020.
Canada
Ragged Ass Road in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada saw such frequent sign thefts that the city welded the sign to the post and began to sell replica street signs. De Grassi Street in Toronto has seen multiple sign thefts over the years because of its connection to the Degrassi teen television franchise. According to the Globe and Mail, twelve signs were stolen in 2000 alone. Street signs in the University District of Kingston, Ontario see frequent sign thefts by students. As many as 30 signs needed replacements at one point.
Republic of Ireland
Signs are often stolen in Ireland for decorating the walls of Irish pubs around the world: places in County Kerry and sites associated with Michael Collins (such as Béal na Bláth or Clonakilty) are especially popular.
Germany
Due to the heavy metal festival that is named after the place, the small hamlet of Wacken in Northern Germany had to deal with street sign theft.
The Netherlands
All the signs of the Dutch village Maaskantje were stolen since the New Kids comedy sketch show on Comedy Central (which is situated in the village) became popular (in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany). The municipality of Maaskantje decided not to replace the stolen signs. In Amsterdam, signs prohibiting the consumption of cannabis were a frequent target of theft, prompting the city to offer replicas of the sign for sale.
Spain
Leganés, Spain dedicated some streets to rock groups like AC/DC, Scorpions, Iron Maiden and Rosendo. The AC/DC sign was stolen days after inauguration. Leganés authorities now offer identical signs for sale.
Sweden
Sweden's distinctive warning sign for moose is noted for its tendency to be stolen, traditionally by German tourists. The sign "Grovare 6", pointing to the small village Grovare in Sweden, 6 km from the sign, was often stolen. "Grovare" means "rougher" in Swedish with slightly wrong grammar, and the number 6 is spelt "sex". The new sign says "Grovare 5", even though it is still 6 km.
United Kingdom
The signs on Abbey Road in London, England were often stolen by Beatles fans until the city council mounted them on buildings. Street signs on Butt Hole Road in England were stolen over time, because of the use of butt hole as a slang term for "anus". The street was eventually renamed Archers Way in 2009. The village of Shitterton in the United Kingdom saw its welcome sign stolen so often that in 2007 the local council stopped replacing it. The village's residents eventually contributed funds to buy a one-and-a-half-tonne stone slab with the town's name engraved on it as a permanent replacement.