COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — For Tom Matzen of Collinsville, it was a startling and infuriating sight to see.
"They took my sign there first, then they went down and they took my neighbor's sign, and then came back and they got my other sign," Matzen told 5 On Your Side's Robert Townsend in an exclusive interview this afternoon.
Matzen says around 10:30 p.m. Monday his security camera first caught two men on video riding down his street.
"I believe they might have been in some kind of Ford," said Matzen.
His camera didn't catch a good look of the male driver's face or other the car's license plates.
"He went all the way down Keebler Street, turned around, came back and got that sign. They went up and down our street a total of three times," added Matzen.
The proud Navy veteran said the men stole two election signs right out of his front yard.
"Well, I was angry because I made those signs. One of them said 'veterans are not suckers or loser' and the other on, 'veterans for Harris.' That's the other part that kills me. I'm a Republican!" said Matzen.
Just a few doors down, his neighbor Deena Keel, the Democratic Precinct Committee Person, is convinced the same political-sign snatching crooks also took off with her Harris-Walz signs.
"My husband and I came home and saw our Kamala Harris-Walz sign was missing. We looked around our property and saw that our other Harris sign was also missing. I was angry. I felt violated that someone would have the nerve to come up in my yard and take someone else's property," said Keel.
Neighbors said they've since learned the thieves hit several streets in their Collinsville neighborhood and stole Harris-Walz signs from nearly a dozen front yards.
Matzen and Keel filed police reports. Meantime, election day is three-and-a half weeks away and they're not letting the thefts deter them in any way.
"In 2020 I had signs out. No problem. I will work as a poll worker this election and I will be more aware of what's going on," said Keel.
"We're not scared. Nobody is scared of them. If it happens again, we will replace the signs again," said Tom Matzen.
5 On Your Side reached out to Madison County Republicans for their reaction. As of Friday night, we haven't heard back
Police want to warn stealing political signs is a property crime, and thieves could be punished with fines and a misdemeanor.