Police investigating damage to political sign

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A campaign sign for Beacon Falls first selectman candidate Gerard Smith at the corner of Rimmon Hill Road and Briarwood Drive was damaged last week. –CONTRIBUTED

BEACON FALLS — A first selectman candidate filed a complaint with police last week after finding one of his campaign signs damaged.

The roughly 4-foot-by-8-foot sign at the corner of Rimmon Hill Road and Briarwood Drive advertised Gerard Smith’s first selectman campaign. Smith, an unaffiliated candidate, said the damage occurred sometime between a Sept. 15 campaign fundraiser and the morning of Sept. 16.

Smith and David Rybinski, who’s unaffiliated as well, are challenging First Selectman Christopher Bielik, a Democrat, for the town’s top political spot.

Photos taken by Smith showed one wooden post attached to the sign to hold it up was pulled out of the sign, while another post was pulled out of the ground.

Beacon Falls Resident State Trooper Humberto Henriques said a police officer responded to the scene and canvassed the area after Smith filed a report Sept. 16. He said Smith’s complaint is the first documented report of damage to a political sign in town this campaign season.

Police opened an investigation into the complaint. The investigation is ongoing.

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