Political opponent suspect in Hamilton County sign thefts

FISHERS, Ind (WISH) – A Hamilton County council candidate is fired up after four of his signs went missing, and his opponent is listed as a suspect.

With election day two weeks away, political signs can be found across Hamilton County. Council candidate Rick McKinney got his out two weeks ago.

So when he was driving through Fishers Friday he couldn’t believe what he saw. “Absolutely nothing except shreds of ropes that had been used to tie them to the pipes,” McKinney said.

McKinney replaced his signs, but the shreds remain. Three large banners costing $200 each are gone at three different Fishers intersections.

“They weren’t laying on the ground, they vanished, and they just didn’t pick up and walk by themselves,” McKinney said.

Rope and zip ties are not the only thing McKinney found near his old signs. He also found a cell phone and turned it over to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say they determined the phone belonged to McKinney’s opponent, Jeff Hern. Hern, a Fall Creek Township Trustee, is not the person McKinney would’ve thought might be involved.

“I’ve been in office in 20 years and never once have I touched an opponent’s sign,” McKinney said. “I’ve never even thought about it.”

With the election close, McKinney doesn’t want to pay for new signs, so he’s replacing what he can.

“I would say, be upfront,” McKinney said. “If you did not do it, tell who did do it, just so that the mystery can be solved.”

24-Hour News 8 reached out to Hern for comment by both by email and social media, but we have not heard back. Deputies say he is a suspect but no charges are filed against him. They’ve referred the case to the prosecutor’s office.