Stay on top of breaking news!
Sign up for ABC 13 e-mail alerts.
Bedford, VA - If you've been missing your turn more often in the City of Bedford, there's a good reason.
The city says about
45 street signs have been stolen, many in the last month. Even the City Manager has seen the sign for the street he lives on disappear.
The city says it's possible the people who are stealing the signs are selling the aluminum for scrap, or someone is just playing a prank. But replacing these signs is not cheap, and Bedford isn't laughing.
About a month ago, one end of Laurel Street became a victim of identity theft.
Cris Tyler, Missing His Street Sign - "I was out here mowing the lawn one day, and look up and said, 'It's gone!'"
Thieves had stolen its sign.
Tyler - "Snapped the whole top off."
Cris Tyler reported the crime to Bedford police, then realized his street wasn't alone.
Tyler - "They said, 'Well, we got some pranksters out there."
Brian Damewood - "It's a little more than pranksters with 45 signs, wouldn't you say?"
Tyler - "'Is it 45? Oh my gosh."
Charles Kolakowski, Bedford City Manager - "This is getting to be a serious number."
City Manager Charles Kolakowski says the number of street signs stolen in the last month is becoming a financial burden.
Kolakowski - "Each sign costs anywhere from 68 to 88 dollars, depending on the size of the sign and the hardware that's stolen with it."
Add in labor, and Kolakowski says the cost to tax payers is in the thousands of dollars.
Kolakowski - "A number the of them have been stolen a week after we've replaced them."
And what's frustrating for neighbors with all these signs thefts is, how do you give directions to your house? Take a left at the third pole?
Kolakowski - "And we have a serious concern of the public safety aspect of it."
Like if rescue workers miss a turn because a sign is gone. Fortunately, that has not been a problem yet. But whether thieves are stealing them to sell for scrap, because they may like the name, or because they want something to remember the good ole' days.
Kolakowski - "It's got to stop."
And quickly.
Tyler - "Joke's over. Joke's over."
Campbell County has had a lot of signs stolen as well -- in the spring they started installing vandal-resistant hardware.
Police say stealing a street sign can get you jail time and a big fine.
If you have any information on the Bedford sign thefts, call Crime Stoppers (web) . That number is 888-798-5900.
Email To Friend 
© 2009 WSET-TV, Inc.
The Associated Press may have contributed to this article.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
ABC 13 to leave comments on news stories.