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Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Keith Yunger, sign technician for the Rabun County mapping department, replaces one of the road name signs located on Warwoman Rd. that was stolen on Labor Day weekend.
CLAYTON-- The Rabun County Marshal’s Office is offering a reward for information about the theft of 80 signs on Warwoman Rd. and in the Chechero community on Sept. 5.
“We have secured the money to offer a $500 reward,” said Rabun County Marshal Tony Galloway.
He said that the information “has to lead to an arrest and conviction” in order for the award to be collected.
An incident of 80 stolen street signs was reported on Labor Day weekend and it cost taxpayers approximately $4,672.50, according to Mike Carnes, EMS/911 Director.
In addition, seven stop signs were knocked down and one stop sign was stolen, according to Troy Keenan, head of the Rabun County mapping department.
“We had to replace and remake every one of them,” Keenan said about the stolen signs. He said that all of the signs were replaced by Monday, Sept. 14 and that the incident set the department back by a week’s worth of work.
Galloway pleaded that stealing street signs is extremely dangerous because it can impede emergency services when they cannot find locations and prevent someone from receiving life-saving medical care.
“This is not a game. It is very serious,” Galloway said.
Galloway said that anyone coming forward with information “may remain anonymous” to the public.
Galloway urged anyone with information to contact the Rabun County Marshal’s Office at 706-782-2657 or the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office at 706-782-3612.