UPDATE: Woman Arrested for Stealing Political Sign in area of Binney Park

UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect that the sign that was stolen said “Do You Enjoy Freedom?”

On Sunday morning around 11:00am Greenwich Police responded to the area of Binney Park in Old Greenwich on a report of a stolen yard sign.

Upon arrival police were met by the reporting party who related that she placed a political sign in the park. A witness then observed the arrestee, Emily Curry Brown, 43, of Riverside take the sign, walk away from the park with the sign, and throw it away in a dumpster on her private property.

Brown admitted having taken the sign.

She was charged with Larceny 6 and has a date in Stamford Superior Court on August 9, 2021.

According to Captain Mark Zuccerella, the public information officer for Greenwich Police, the sign stolen waid, “Do You Enjoy Freedom.”

Last October when the town was peppered with campaign signs for US president, 36th district Senate and State Rep races, police released a statement regarding thefts of political campaign signs saying stealing a sign could result in a Larceny 6 charge.

Police said that anyone who has had a sign stolen from their private property can contact Greenwich Police to report the theft. If someone has their property stolen from public property they can call to report the theft as well.

“First, we need a victim and then we need to have probable cause the sign was stolen and not ‘blown away in the wind.’ If signs are on public property, it is very hard to prove who or what took the sign,” he said. “We have arrested people in the past years, however they were caught with them in mass and it was obvious it was a theft.”

Signs can be placed on public property, but not public school property, and need to be removed after the election. 

“First, we need a victim and then we need to have probable cause the sign was stolen and not ‘blown away in the wind.’ If signs are on public property, it is very hard to prove who or what took the sign,” he said. “We have arrested people in the past years, however they were caught with them in mass and it was obvious it was a theft.”

The zoning enforcement officer said the town does not regulate the election signage. Signs can be placed on public property, but not public school property, and need to be removed after the election. 

See also:

Clarifying Confusion in Greenwich on Illegal Signs and Protected Free Speech

Those Pesky Lawn Signs! Strict Rules, Except for Campaign Signs!