Politics & Government

Suffolk Legislature Candidate Condemns Sign Stealers

Suffolk police are investigating who keeps removing election signs off Route 25A.

tolen campaign signs have Suffolk Legislature candidate Mario Mattera and his supporters calling on police to launch a criminal investigation. 

Suffolk County police said the Mario Mattera for Legislature campaign filed an official complaint on Aug. 25 that a woman was seen stealing his campaign signs off Route 25A in St. James. 

"During the past week, I have personally placed signs for my campaign and Lynne Nowick's on businesses and residential properties with the authorization form the owners. I find it reprehensible that people would steal these signs," Mattera said. 

Mattera is running in the Republican primary as a candidate for the 13th district of the Suffolk County Legislature, a seat currently held by Legis. Lynne Nowick, R-St. James. 

On Sept. 10, Mattera will face off against Kings Park resident Rob Trotta and Paul Hennings, the Smithtown Republican Committee's endorsed candidate at the polls.  

Mattera's campaign issued a statement on Tuesday estimating that approximately one-third of his campaign signs have gone missing - presumably stolen - over the weekend. 

The witness who saw the campaign signs stolen asked the thief to put them back, and when the person refused, took down their license plate number, according to Mattera's campaign. The individual's license plate was reported to Suffolk County Police. 

"I have personally instructed every member of my campaign that we will not engage in stealing my opponent's signs, as we expect the same courtesy from their campaigns," Mattera said. 

Councilman Robert Creighton, who is running in the Republican Primary for Smithtown supervisor's seat, has also dealt with issues this election season of missing and defaced signs. 

In July, Creighton's campaign manager Scott Santamaria reported receiving phone calls daily from residents whose signs had gone missing, blaming Vecchio's supporters. 

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio rebuffed these allegations calling missing campaign signs "par for the course" and stating he had lost several signs as well. 


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