Waitsfield woman admits to swiping 39 political campaign signs in Warren

November 2, 2020 |  By Lisa Scagliotti

Political campaign lawn signs stolen ahead of Tuesday’s general election. Vermont State Police photo.

Vermont State Police caught up with a Waitsfield woman on Sunday who they say was traveling through Warren swiping political campaign signs promoting Republican and Democratic candidates. 

In a news release Monday, Trooper Casey Ross from the Middlesex Barracks said that 50-year-old Margaret Gile admitted to taking the 39 signs found in her vehicle when police stopped her around 1:10 p.m. Sunday. Police received a report from Grady Oshaughnessy, 46 of Warren, who said there was a woman stealing campaign yard signs in the area. 

Ross said another neighbor provided a description of the pickup Gile was driving, which was not a vehicle registered to her. The trooper was able to locate the vehicle, stopping it for a moving violation, according to the news release. 

State police spokesman Adam Silverman said the signs were from a variety of campaigns. “The signs that were stolen represent a cross-section of candidates, political parties, and ideas,” Silverman said. “Pretty much everybody was represented: Gov. [Phil] Scott, Lt. Gov. [David] Zuckerman, Scott Milne, Molly Gray, Joe Biden, even signs to encourage voting and promote wearing masks.”

Gile was issued a citation to appear in Washington County Superior Court on Jan. 7 to answer to the charge of Petit Larceny. 

Police asked that anyone from the Warren area who had political signs taken during the afternoon of Nov. 1 to contact Trooper Ross at the Middlesex barracks at 249-9191.