Adam Lowe, candidate for Bradley county commissioner, District 4, has filed a police report and said he is considering pressing charges concerning the theft and disposal of many of his campaign signs.

Mr. Lowe appeared on the Bradley County Courthouse steps to relay the Saturday’s events.

Following is a portion of his prepared statement:

“I was contacted at approximately 10 a.m. yesterday morning by a local supporter who witnessed one of our 4’x4’ campaign signs being taken down at a local intersection near Oak Grove Elementary School. The supporter provided a description of the vehicle and the person. Only living minutes away, I immediately rushed to the scene in an attempt to preserve the integrity of our campaign materials.

"Upon arrival I found our 4’x4’ sign and a number of our smaller yard signs missing. I immediately notified the sheriff’s office and drove to a second location at the corner of Patterson and Durkee Road to check on another large sign we had posted. That sign too had been stolen.

"I returned to Oak Grove Elementary to wait for the sheriff’s deputy to arrive only to find the suspect tossing our signs to the side of the road. I video-recorded an exchange between myself and the individual, in which he first lied, saying that I had personally given him permission to take the signs down. When I revealed my identity he then immediately implicated Commissioner Jim Smith as the orchestrator of the thefts. I requested that he remain present to give a statement to officers, but he sped away.

“When the officer arrived, I showed him the discarded signs, the video, and provided a written statement of events. Twenty minutes or so into filing the report, the suspect returned to offer an explanation of the events and once again, implicated Commissioner Jim Smith in the orchestration of the sign theft by providing a note written by Mr. Smith advising on the locations to remove signs.

“In all, three private properties were stripped of campaign materials relating to my campaign and that of another challenger. A police report was filed, and I was advised that charges could be filed for misdemeanor theft. Mr. Smith has since confessed to me in the presence of several witnesses that he is 'responsible' for what happened yet offered little remorse.”

Mr. Lowe said he feels that since the signs were purchased with money donated by his supporters he must promote accountability by submitting all evidence to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for their review. Mr. Lowe said he has been advised that "Mr. Smith’s confessed orchestration of these thefts" constitutes official misconduct, a class E felony per Tennessee Statute 39-16-402.

In conclusion, Mr. Lowe stated, “I do not feel that any illegal or unethical behavior is acceptable or representative of the families in my district, and I hope that other constituents feel the same on Election Day.”

When contacted, Mr. Smith had no comment.

Lisa Stanbery, candidate for Bradley County Mayor said she has had more than 50 yard signs stolen and several large signs destroyed with what appears to be box cutters. She stated that she has few signs left in the 4th District.