No questions in sign amnesty | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

It may be a laugh - running off with a road sign or a marker cone - but it puts a big cost on Hawke's Bay transport agencies and contractors, and puts road safety in real jeopardy.

While the thief may not figure he or she is doing any major harm, when the full cost is tallied up over a year it reaches well into five figures.

So retrieving any stolen signs and cones is a bonus.

Two years ago Hastings police mounted Operation Lollipop - a seven-day amnesty for people to return road signs and cones "no questions asked."

It was a big success, with about $40,000 of signage handed in - including three large road signs valued about $2000, "collected" by a 9-year-old boy.

Police are set to launch a 2010 amnesty week on Monday and are hoping for a similar result when it wraps up on March 26.

Constable Blair Pryce said the amnesty gave people the opportunity to return signs and cones without fear of prosecution. Stealing of such items was mainly the domain of the young.

"We get a lot of thefts during the holiday period when students are around," he said. "Often they are the result of a night out on the town and picking up a souvenir on the way home."

He urged people to take advantage of the amnesty.

After it, anyone found in possession of road signs would be prosecuted for theft - which means an automatic and compulsory DNA sample being given to police.

"We strongly urge everyone to think twice about stealing a road sign. Is a silly decision really worth a criminal record?"

Signs can be handed in at the Hastings station from March 15 - no questions asked.