Campaign capers caught on camera

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Flaunting a specific candidate's campaign sign in one neighborhood is inviting trouble and a video proves it.

Early voting started statewide this weekend, and election day is now a little more than two weeks away.

Local, state, and national races are heating up, and in one Albuquerque neighborhood residents are shocked at how it's playing out.

A little after 6 a.m. Wednesday neighbors in the area across from Tanoan did not know there were prowlers on the loose.

"They were on my property and took something that belonged to me," said Maurine Rhoton.

Two thieves were caught on tape taking State Senate candidate Lisa Torraco's campaign signs.

"A lot of my signs are disappearing," Torraco said. "I had a sign disappear from my front yard which was really strange."

In the video the men walk down the street, grab the sign, then a get away car drives up, the men jump in and take off.

Rhoton and the owner of the surveillance cameras believe the incident was planned. Torraco still can't believe it happened.

"Maurine said she put the sign up that night, and the next day it was gone! It's crazy!" Torraco said.

Both can not believe someone would be brazen enough to trespass onto private property and steal something so simple. They say it's un-American and a crime, but Torraco isn't letting the thefts get to her.

"I'm not going to dwell on it at all," Torraco said. "I'm running a very clean campaign."

Since Wednesday Torraco's constituents, especially Rhoton have come up with an attack plan. They now put their signs out every morning and take them in at night just to be safe.

Torraco said she is missing about 100 signs. They cost about $10 each and replacing them is starting to drain her budget.

Her Democratic opponent Bill Tallman said his camp has nothing to do with the thefts, and that two of his larger campaign signs have also gone missing in a different area nearby. He said they cost about $80 a piece.