Sign thieves in the district of Miesbach: thieves love the "misery"

This year, too, the police in the Miesbach district have repeatedly recorded theft of place-name signs.

Particularly popular names are at risk.

District

- "It's a recurring problem," says Johann Brandhuber.

The head of the police department in Holzkirchen speaks of town signs and other traffic signs that are repeatedly dismantled and stolen in the district.

Brandhuber says about the annual balance sheet: "We had such cases in our catchment area six times in 2021 and this year." Once it was the town sign of the market town itself, Marschall was affected twice, once in Sufferloh and once in Großhartpenning.

"In Otterfing, three out of four screws were loosened - then the perpetrators were probably disturbed." Together with Holzkirchen, the northernmost municipality is the focal point of the sign thieves.

A reference to deer crossing, a no-parking sign and a speed limit have also been lost.

The procedure must be planned: "You have to have a suitable wrench or ratchet with you," says Brandhuber.

The signs could not simply be torn down.

Signs are sometimes found by accident

Brandhuber suspects the motives of the perpetrators to be sentimental.

"Perhaps someone who has lived in Holzkirchen for a long time is moving and wants to take a souvenir with them." Others might hang up the signs in the party cellar.

In most cases, the head of the department cannot imagine that the crimes are intentional interventions in road traffic.

Under certain circumstances, however, this could be regarded as such a dangerous intervention.

The police officer explains that the primary concern is simple theft.

The act cannot be rated as particularly difficult, since the signs can be removed with normal tools and are not secured separately.

"But the fact is that we are very careful to restore the condition." Drivers who notice a missing sign should report this.

The same applies, of course, if the theft is observed.

"Once it worked out that we were called and young people were caught dismantling," says Brandhuber.

Sometimes it can also happen that traffic signs are rediscovered later - with the help of Inspector Coincidence.

"When we are in someone's apartment for other reasons, there have been signs on the wall there."

Popular or quirky signs are particularly at risk

Overall, the number of sign thefts has at least not increased, but there are accumulations.

The Miesbach police also confirmed on request.

"Sometimes it happens again and again," says Simon Irger, traffic officer in the district town.

Depending on the situation, the building yard of the municipality, the district or the state building authority are then responsible for replacement.

The latter speaks of damage per sign of around 150 euros.

Stefan Leitner, head of the road construction division, explains: “In our experience, green 'hamlet signs' are stolen more often;

especially when the hamlets have special, popular or odd place names, such as 'Elend', 'Schweintal', but also 'Achenpass' or 'Spitzingsattel'.”

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