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Published on 10/28/1996 All articles from this issue

Hospital candidates victimized by sign thefts, supporters say

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By Bruce Barton / Town Crier Staff Writer

Campaign signs are being taken by the hundreds and the prime targets appear to be incumbent candidates for the El Camino Hospital District board, supporters said last week.

Hospital campaign supporter Valerie McCarthy said hospital board candidate Paul Hoar lost approximately 150 signs, valued at $600, and as many as 200 Dominick Curatola signs may also have been stolen. Pollock, a Palo Alto attorney, said he lost approximately 100 signs.

He said the thefts appear to by "systematic," because suspects are stealing large volumes of signs at one time that are not being recovered. He noted a theft of approximately 100 signs on one night three weeks ago.

"It's consistent," Pollock noted of the theft pattern. "My wife put up a sign, and it's gone the next day."

McCarthy said 21st Assembly candidate Ted Laliotis was also victimized, losing as many as 200 signs. The hardest hit areas, she said, appear to be along Cuesta Drive, Springer Road and Altos Oaks Avenue, where many doctors' offices are located.

McCarthy said she filed a formal complaint with the Los Altos Police Department.

"I've never seen anything like this in Los Altos," said hospital supporter B.J. Darrow, a resident since 1949. "If it were kids, they'd take all of them. These are adults determined to take away our freedom of choice."

Darrow and McCarthy felt the motivation for stealing the signs may be political. Darrow said she didn't see any signs missing of hospital board challenger Edward Bough. Pollock said there was "no suspicion among the three incumbents that Dr. Bough had anything to do with this."

Sgt. Bob Lacey of the Los Altos Police Department said the police may not be much help in searching for suspects and recovering signs, without calls from the public alerting them of a sign tampering in progress.

"We need to have people call us when somebody's out there," Lacey said. Those witnessing any suspicious activity may call the Los Altos Police Department at 948-8223.