Jayne Thompson holds an LL.B. in Law and Business Administration from the University of Birmingham and an LL.M. in International Law from the University of East London. She practiced at various “large law firms” before embarking on a career as a commercial writer. Her work has appeared on numerous legal blogs, including Quittance, Upcounsel and Medical Neglect Experts. Whether it`s for your playroom or guest room, road sign decorations are ideal for bringing a room to life. But it is important that you get your sign legally. After all, it`s cheaper to buy a $50 street sign online than a $1,000 fine for handling one. Chances are the signs you see inside were purchased and not picked up on the street. All your popular options such as one-way signs, stop signs and speed limit markings can be purchased on the Parking and Traffic Supply website. Prices range from $10 to $50, but are made to the same specifications/dimensions as the panels in public. Any type of road signs are considered government property. So if you tear the “Lois Lane” sign from her pole, you`ve committed a theft.
Penalties depend on the cost of the sign to the city, town or county that technically owns it. These costs may vary depending on the material and the contract the municipality has with the manufacturer. Some signs can be purchased for less than $50 each. Others can cost $200 or more. The municipality may also consider labour costs to replace signage fees, which can be well in excess of $500 per sign. According to Rosen Blum Law, if the value of the shield is less than $200, you can expect 6 months in jail and fines of up to $1,000. Anything between $200 and $500 carries 18 months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines. And anything over $500 in stolen property can result in five years in prison and fines of up to $15,000. In other words, flying is no joke. If you get into the habit of stealing signs, you could be convicted of aggravated robbery. This is the crime of stealing property worth more than a certain amount, usually $1,000 or $5,000, although in some jurisdictions it can be as low as $500. Big theft is a crime that puts you in a state prison for up to 10 years.
In most cases, you`ll also have to pay hefty fines of up to $10,000 and cover the cost of replacing the sign, which is called a refund. Reimbursement can range from $50 to over $500 per panel, plus labor costs. College is a time when you learn to be an adult. You simply find your independence. There are a lot of choices to be made and a lot of freedoms that you may not be used to. This is wonderful, but it can also lead to behavior that is detrimental to a productive future. Something often considered a harmless prank by Pennsylvania students is stealing road signs, but that`s a very bad idea. It is important that you understand, even if nothing bad happens, that stealing a sign costs money. Taxpayers have to pay for a new sign, and it doesn`t come cheap. Therefore, there are economic problems arising from this criminal act. Not only is theft a crime, but removing the sign where it was can negatively alter traffic patterns.
In most cases, it`s best to leave road signs where they are rather than removing them yourself. The short answer is no, you are allowed to have a road sign in your home. What matters is how you received the sign in the first place. If you really like a road sign, rip it off the pole and take it home, you just committed a robbery. Road signs are considered the property of the city, and the theft of such signs is treated like any other theft. In addition to theft, additional charges may apply for vandalism or destruction of property. So-called “criminal misdeeds” usually occur when you intentionally or recklessly break the support pole or pliers while stealing the shield. Many states have varying degrees of criminal wrongdoing, depending on the extent of property damage. Damage to public property, such as a stop sign, could increase crime to a higher level.
Expect additional fines, reparations, and possibly jail time if you are convicted of criminal mischief.