Pollinator sign stolen from last week from raised bed at the Los Alamos Co+Op Market. Courtesy photo

Xerces sign stolen from Unitarian Church Food Forest. Courtesy photo

BY KOKHEONG MCNAUGHTON
Los Alamos

In the past few years, I have had three yard signs stolen: two from the Food Forest at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, and just last week, a sign was stolen from the Pollinator raised bed at the Los Alamos Co+Op Market. This last sign was stolen sometime between mid day Wednesday June 10 and mid-day Friday June 12, the two days that I was able to work on the raised bed.

The first sign stolen from the Unitarian Church was a “Black Lives Matter” sign, which we have now replaced with a painted mural on a utility box in the center of our parking lot. The second sign, stolen a few months ago from our Food Forest, was a “Pesticide Free” sign that I bought from Xerces Society’s gift shop. The cost supports Xerces’ invertebrate conservation efforts as well as my membership in the organization.

The sign that was stolen last week was one of the Bee City Backyard Pollinator signs that were given out to successful applicants of Bee City’s Pollinator Kit program in 2024 and 2025. The 2026 application process has just been extended to this coming Friday 6/19 (so there’s still time to apply!) and the winners will receive their kits and their yard signs in mid-July. They are encouraged to display these signs in the Pollinator Gardens that they would create with the free native plants from the kit. We keep a list of our recipients.

Why would someone steal these signs? The first one is a political statement, so I expect it was someone who disagrees with our values and the sign was probably destroyed. What about the second and the third ones? Both of these two signs are beautifully designed, and I consider them works of art. Rather than having them being displayed and enjoyed by the public, someone wants to own them rather than share them.

What are the penalties for stealing yard signs in New Mexico?

Google tells me this: “In New Mexico, stealing a yard sign is a crime. Penalties are based on the sign’s replacement value and can range from a petty misdemeanor to a felony. Charges often involve Larceny, Criminal Mischief, and potentially Trespassing.”

Is it worth it?

Diving deeper: “Because yard signs usually only cost a few dollars to print, the charge is typically a minor offense, but values can aggregate:

 Petty Misdemeanor: Stolen property valued at $250 or less. Punishable by up to 6 months in a county jail and a fine of up to $500.

 Misdemeanor: Stolen property valued between $250 and $500. Punishable by up to 1 year in a county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

 Fourth-Degree Felony: Stolen property valued between $500 and $2,500. Punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.”

In my case, the first option applies.

I have now replaced the Xerces sign and will soon be replacing the Bee City sign. To whomever took them, please enjoy them in the privacy of your basement because you can’t display them without the collective us knowing.

A painted mural on a utility box in the center of the Unitarian Church parking lot replaces a stolen Black Lives Matter sign. Courtesy photo

Letters to the editor represent the opinions of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or editorial stance of the Los Alamos Reporter. The Reporter assumes no responsibility or liability for the factual accuracy of statements made by contributors.