What are the legal consequences of stealing a street sign?

If you do not get caught there are no consequences.

My guess is that you would be charged with theft and mischief.

Yeah, theft is what I though…if you get caught. lol.

The type of sign does not matter. the consequences are the same:

“Sign stealing as a misdemeanor
# Stop sign stealing usually falls under the category of petty larceny or theft, which is a misdemeanor in most states. Misdemeanors are simply defined as offenses that are more serious than a infraction, yet not as serious or harmful as a felony.
Penalties for misdemeanors
# According to the American Bar Association, penalties for misdemeanors are a sentence of one year or less. A fine of up to $500 usually accompanies the sentence. Some states classify misdemeanors as gross misdemeanors, ordinary misdemeanors or petty misdemeanors. The severity of the penalties vary based on this classification as well as by state laws. Other states use a broad definition for all misdemeanors, allowing the judge more flexibility in determining a sentence.
When sign stealing becomes a felony
# The same offense can be viewed as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the degree or the consequences of the offense. In the case of stealing stop signs, if the value of the sign is more than a certain amount specified by the state, the theft can be considered a felony. Additionally, there have been cases where the stop sign theft has been determined as the cause of an accident and the thieves have been charged with manslaughter. ”

Source

You will also likely be sued in Civil court for wrongful death if your theft of a sign leads to a fatality.

The legal consequences depends on the jurisdiction you are in. Some signs are owned by the city, some by the county, and yet others by the state.

Other, unintended consequences, as mentioned above, are a disregard for public safety – which is what the signs are all about.

And, it’s just not right.

X2 @ChazMaz The mark of character is what you do when no one is looking.

good question. there is a fine, but it depends on the state you live in. i’m still a big collector of street signs that have fallen down somewhere and they pepper my garage as mementos that remind me what i had to do to get that sign. one time, before i got in to law enforcement, i stopped traffic to get a cool street sign on the median. it was a longtime fetish that took risk and skill.

@charliecompany34 Remind me not to trust you when I can’t see what you’re doing.

Yeah I guess it would be misdemeanor.
Unless the sign not being there leads to a fatality.
@charliecompany34 you’re brave, because if I ever stole a street sign I think I’d freak out and put it back. lol.

—misdemeanor…vandalism and milicious mischief….you would be required to pay for the sign, probably a fine, and court cost! no jail time, unless you have made a habit at this..loll

You’re not supposed to consider these things when you’re not drunk. I hope you were drunk.

Street signs, stop signs, and speed limit signs are all public property. this does not mean you have the right to steal them. if caught, you will be arrested. and, taking down a speed limit sign does not mean everyone knows the speed limit in a given area. ever heard of people on vacation in a strange town and strange streets? how would they know the posted speed limit, if the sign were not there? lots of things to consider here. i would just leave it alone and discuss something else.

@john65pennington Right on.