Vandals, thieves targeting street signs

Published on 30 June 2020

Council's rollout of new street name blades and street signs is being hampered by theft and vandalism of signs across the city.

Council recently purchased approximately 1500 new name blades and traffic signs which are currently being installed to improve wayfinding and traffic safety.

However, Mayor Darriea Turley AM said the ongoing theft and vandalism of signs was proving frustrating.

"One of the community's ongoing criticisms of Council is that lots of street signs are missing across the city," said Mayor Turley.

"But it's tough to fix the problem when the signs are constantly being knocked over, stolen, or ripped from poles.

"It's disheartening for Council staff who are constantly having to rectify the problem day after day, but it's also very frustrating for locals who have pride in their city."

Deputy Mayor, Christine Adams, said the knock-on effect of vandalism and theft was felt right across the community.

"Every dollar that we have to spend fixing or replacing instances of theft or vandalism is a dollar we're not spending on things like roads, parks, and ovals,” said Cr Adams.

"The whole community pays the price in the long run, and it hurts the appearance of Broken Hill for tourists and locals alike.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Maureen Clark urged locals to report any instances of vandalism or theft of community property.

"If you see someone damaging or stealing community assets, then please call the police immediately," Cr Clark said.

"Some people might think it's a just Council problem, but these are community assets that we all end up paying for in one way or another."