Deer camera catches campaign sign theft

ALEXANDRIA BAY — Aided by a strategically-placed "deer" camera, state police allegedly caught a Theresa man stealing campaign placards owned by Alexandria Town Supervisor Martha M. Millet.

Thomas L. Eggleston, 45, of 25711 County Route 3, was arrested Saturday morning and charged with three counts of petit larceny. He admitted to taking three campaign signs along Church Street in Alexandria Bay, police said.

Mrs. Millet said Saturday that after having 15 to 20 roadside signs stolen in the past few weeks, she set up a motion-activated camera aimed at some of her signs.

"I don't see why anyone would take them," she said. "I just don't understand the pettiness of it."

At $20 per sign, the supervisor said she is out $300 to $400 because of the thefts.

State police arrested a Hammond man Thursday after he also was allegedly caught on a motion-activated camera set up by an official after campaign signs were damaged.

Mrs. Millet said she was not familiar with Mr. Eggleston and wondered whether he was acting alone, or being egged on by political foes.

"I'm don't even know if he's mad at me or something," she said. "He could have stopped by and we could have talked about the issue."

Mrs. Millet is campaigning for re-election against former town supervisor, F. Sampie Sutton.

Mr. Sutton, a Republican, served as Alexandria town supervisor for 10 years until he was defeated, 640-571, by Ms. Millet, a Democrat, in the November 2007 general election.

Mrs. Millet said Saturday the campaign has not been very contentious, other than the theft of her signs.

"We've been putting them everywhere, on different side roads, corners and different tributaries in the hamlets," she said. "Everywhere we have put them, we'll go out and some are gone in 15 minutes."

Mr. Eggleston was issued a ticket to appear in Alexandria Town Court on Election Day.