Florida mayoral candidate accused of stealing opponent’s campaign signs

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Two candidates hoping to be the subsequent mayor of Edgewater, Florida, a metropolis northeast of Orlando, might in the end take their struggle to courtroom over the alleged stealing of political campaign signs.

Former Edgewater Mayor Michael Ignasiak and Diezel Depew are opponents within the Edgewater mayor race. Depew has accused Ignasiak of eradicating his campaign signs from a road nook, and reportedly caught the act on surveillance video.

“I was shocked, I was saddened, and I couldn’t believe he could do such a thing. We’ve known the guy for years and years,” Depew stated.

According to an incident report, each candidates declare to have obtained permission from a enterprise proprietor to position campaign signs close to his enterprise, close to Highway One and Joseph Drive. Depew instructed deputies that he seen some of his campaign signs have been being faraway from different areas, together with the one close to the enterprise, and determined to position a digital camera within the space.

“They, unfortunately, saw my opponent, through a camera, taking my campaign signs,” Depew stated.

The report states that on Oct. 22, Depew’s digital camera caught somebody in a black truck pull into the car parking zone of the enterprise that morning, pickup one of Depew’s campaign signs, and place it within the truck earlier than leaving. Depew stated he positioned a second signal to interchange the one which was taken and hours later, the identical truck returned to the car parking zone and somebody eliminated his signal.

Deputies confirmed the truck belonged to Ignasiak, Depew’s opponent within the race, and that the particular person taking the signal was Ignasiak. The video reveals Ignasiak additionally eradicating the signal of one other political hopeful, Volusia County Council candidate Ted Noftall. He says it is taking part in soiled. 

“It’s become very partisan, become very polarized, very bitter. So this gentleman just ended up on camera, proving the point,” Noftall stated.

When reached by deputies, in response to the report, Ignasiak stated he eliminated the signs as a result of they have been blocking his political signs and have been positioned in the best of method, which is not allowed. Detectives within the report confirmed that each signs have been in the best of method, however that “only an authorized city employee can remove any signs which violate any city ordinances.”

Ignasiak was charged with petty theft, and the case was submitted to State Attorney’s Office for evaluate.