Troy, NC -- You've heard of people stealing copper wire or scrap metal, but how about street signs?
Since mid-December, 17 street signs have been swiped in Montgomery County.
County Manager Matthew Woodard said they're not just talking about kids stealing a street sign because it had a funny name.
"We stepped back and looked and said, 'oh my gosh, now look how many signs we've got down'", said County Manager Matthew Woodard.
Woodard said he speculates thieves are cashing in on stolen street signs because of the aluminum content.
However, county officials have faced a bigger issue: Getting those 17 signs back up in a hurry for the citizens safety.
"In our world from 911, we predominantly work with either a house number or an intersection," said Alan Griffin, Montgomery County Emergency Services Director. "The concern is from the public side that maybe the person calling that wreck in or calling in the event that's going on, not knowing what intersection they're at."
Most of the signs are in rural areas, making them easy targets. But some of them are also in areas where cell phone signals can easily drop out too, making street signs even more important for 911 dispatchers.
There's also a comfort factor for residents.
"It's important for that homeowner to know that road sign's out there, so those responders know exactly where to turn and not miss that road or delay the response," said Griffin.
County officials replaced all of the signs last week, but it was costly. The county used to letter street signs by hand, but they couldn't keep up. So, they bought $1,000 worth of new labeling equipment.
"If it keeps being a problem, we'll have to look at other resources and also how they're put together on the pole," said Woodard.
Woodard said the sheriff's department has reminded recyclers that if someone drops off a road sign, they could be charged with possessing stolen property.
If you need to report a missing or damaged street sign, you can find a link on the county's homepage: http://montgomerycountync.com.
You can also call the county at 910-576-4221.
WFMY News 2