These signs were recently removed and discarded in the RM of Pleasantdale (RM of Pleasantdale No. 398/Facebook)

By Cam Lee

Sign theft

Theft of signs in RM of Pleasantdale no laughing matter

May 30, 2024 | 5:30 PM

A recent theft of signs in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Pleasantdale may be someone’s idea of a joke, but neither the RM nor the RCMP are laughing.

The RM recently posted on a social media page that 31 road signs were removed from the area and dumped in the municipality.

Acting Administrator Trevor Peterson told northeastNOW the major concern is safety.

“Some of these were curve signs, some of these were speed limit signs, all of these signs were, in essence, safety signs of some form or other,” Peterson said.

He added when the signs are removed, motorists no longer have knowledge of what is to come on the road, whether it’s a curve, reduced speed limit, or a major bump. Peterson said there are many worst-case scenarios that could occur with missing signs, such as a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle when the driver didn’t know the speed limit in that area was reduced.

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Melfort RCMP Detachment Commander Ryan Case told northeastNOW he has first-hand experience of how a missing road sign can lead to tragic consequences. He recalled a time he worked in southwest Saskatchewan when a fatal crash occurred after a hairpin turn sign had been previously knocked down.

Case said it’s a crime for the signs to go missing. Stealing signs is a theft, as they are the property of municipalities, towns, cities, or in the case of highway signs, the Department of Highways.

Peterson said it’s not the first-time signs have been removed in the RM, and that’s why he wanted to make a post on social media highlighting the issue.

“I’m hoping that someone out there knows who’s doing it,” said Peterson, whether that’s a son or daughter or a friend that thinks they’re just having some fun and is not thinking of consequences.

There is also a financial cost to missing or discarded signs, Peterson said.

“We’ve got to put all of the signs back up, it takes man-hours to do that, sometimes we have to buy new posts, sometimes we’ve already bought new signs to put up because we didn’t know where they were.”

Ultimately, Peterson said that cost falls on the ratepayer.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK