Sheriff Joe Arpaio doubles reward money to $10,000 for information on campaign sign vandals

PHOENIX - Sheriff Joe Arpaio doubled the reward amount to $10,000 Friday for information leading to the arrest of anyone caught vandalizing his campaign signs, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s campaign office.

County officials said there has been a significant increase in the number of Arpaio campaign signs defaced and vandalized during the last few days.

Signs along Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale were marked with dollar signs Thursday night, but there have been many more reports across the Valley of signs being torn down, burned, cut up, and spray-painted with swastikas and profane messages, according to officials.

In a press release, Arpaio said the sign damage costs have totaled more than $40,000.

In August, the sheriff offered a $5,000 reward, but the recent increase in vandalized signs prompted him to double it.

Defacing a political sign is a misdemeanor and punishable by up to four months in jail, a $700 fine and up to two years probation, according to the campaign office.

According to the East Valley Tribune, Arpaio said in a statement that he has raised more than $7 million for his campaign, so the reward money would not be paid with tax dollars.

MCSO is asking anyone with information to contact the Arpaio campaign headquarters at 602-235-9320.