SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – A political theft unraveled by tiny tech. Over the weekend, someone swiped dozens of political signs from the Rountree Neighborhood in Springfield, but an Apple AirTag led to the discovery.
“Get a video of this. This is where they all are,” said John Cardoza.
Several stolen political signs from Springfield were found to be uncovered miles away in Nixa.
“We noticed on Saturday morning that the political sign had been taken, and we had an Apple tracker inside the sign, so we were able to see where it had been taken to,” said Cardoza in the video.
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In the video, Cardoza and Laura McCaskill confront the teenage thieves. It’s the fourth time someone swiped a political campaign sign from John and Laura.
The two originally tracked down the Harris/Walz sign to a restaurant in Springfield, but the trail eventually led to Nixa.
“One of the items had an Apple tracker in it, tracks to the trunk of your vehicle.”
”It was unbelievable. I mean, it was obvious that this wasn’t a onesie… twosie.”
”Do you know how many are in here?” asked Cardoza. Thieves then answered “Approximately 60.. Yeah.”
Stealing an election sign is a misdemeanor. If you’re convicted, you could face up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine, or even both.
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Cardoza tells KY3, “They’re about $25 apiece. So, I mean, it’s not a huge amount of money, But it’s an inconvenience, and again, it’s a stifling of our ability to put our voice forward.”
If you got your sign stolen, Nixa leaders say you can reach out to the Nixa Police Department. Upon arriving, you’ll need to bring an owner-applied number or something specific to prove the sign is yours.
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