FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Targeted Theft and Vandalism of Kane County Republican Campaign Signs
St. Charles, IL, October 19, 2024 – In an alarming series of incidents, campaign signs for Republican candidate Lance Bell, running for Kane County Board Chair, and Andrew Sosnowski, candidate for Kane County State's Attorney were stolen and vandalized from multiple locations on October 18 and 19, including the Kane County Republican office at 333 N. Randall Road, Suite 115 in St. Charles. The large 4x4 signs, which were secured with zip ties, were deliberately removed, with the ties cut from their support poles. A police report has been filed with the St. Charles Police Department.
Kane County GOP Chairperson, Andro Lerario, responded swiftly to the incident after being notified of the theft and vandalism. "It is disheartening to see our Democrat competitors resorting to criminal tactics to influence this election. These signs are not just expensive—they’re critical to our campaign efforts. Stealing them is a crime and leaving dangerous rebar poles exposed could cause harm to pedestrians. The Kane County Republican Party condemns this kind of behavior and calls on the Kane County Democrats to take a stand against these dirty tactics."
Lerario added, “Every election sees small-scale incidents of sign theft, but this year, the widespread targeting of our candidates Lance Bell and Andrew Sosnowski shows an organized effort to undermine their campaigns. When you’re over the target, your opponent’s start to panic. That’s what’s happening here.”
The targeted attacks didn’t stop at the GOP office. Early this morning, Precinct Committeeperson David Teas witnessed another act of sign theft in broad daylight. While driving past a new restaurant site for Squire Ale House on IL Route 64 in Campton Hills, Teas captured video of a young man dismantling and removing Lance Bell and Andrew Sosnowski signs. According to Teas, the individual, a high school student, was instructed by his manager to remove only those specific signs.
“I was shocked to see a kid out there, in the open, cutting down campaign signs,” Teas said. “He seemed like a good kid, but it’s unacceptable that someone would use him to carry out dirty politics. Whoever directed him to take down only Bell and Sosnowski’s signs is teaching him the wrong lesson—this is theft, plain and simple.”
A third act of vandalism occurred overnight at Campton Crossings, where another large Lance Bell sign that had been up for weeks was stolen. Lerario is currently filing a police report for this location as well.
This pattern of theft has been seen across Kane County in the past. During the previous Presidential election, Trump signs were frequent targets of similar attacks. This time, the focus appears to be on Bell and Sosnowski. In Dundee Township, multiple Andrew Sosnowski signs, both large and small, have been reported stolen from various locations, including Longmeadow Parkway off Randall Road, Village Squire in West Dundee, and IL Route 25 in East Dundee.
Andrew Sosnowski expressed his frustration with the ongoing incidents, stating, "We should be able to compete in a fair election without resorting to theft. This kind of negative behavior is unacceptable, regardless of party affiliation. Homeowners need to report these crimes to the police, as these signs are often stolen from their property."
The Kane County GOP is urging the public to remain vigilant and report any instances of sign theft or vandalism. "We believe in fair elections and will not tolerate criminal behavior that aims to sway the results through intimidation and sabotage," Lerario concluded.#
About
The Kane County Republican Central Committee is the county organization for the Republican Party. We are comprised of members from Aurora, Batavia, Campton, Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, St. Charles, Western Townships and Kane County Young Republican organizations.
The Kane County Republican Party advocates for the principles of limited government and conservative values. We accomplish this through recruiting, training and equipping an engaged citizenry with the tools and support needed to educate voters and win elections.
Contact Information
Andro Lerario
Chairman, Kane County GOP
630-330-5177
kanegop.org