MARLBORO – Sign stealing is always a campaign issue, but usually before an election, not after it.

In this Monmouth County town, however, one board of education candidate has filed theft charges against another over the theft of campaign signs almost a week after the Nov. 5 election.

And guess what?

Both candidates involved in this legal skirmish won seats on the school board.

Let’s digress.

The school board race here pitted two, three-person slates against each other.

One group was called Marlboro Values Protected, or MVP.

The other – Partners Improving Education, or PIE.

This was a contentious battle built around parents’ rights and the suggestion that public school curriculum is too liberal.

Voters delivered a split ticket.

Two candidates from the PIE slate won – Brian Cohen and Jenna Corraro.

And one candidate from the MVP team won – incumbent Danielle Bellomo.

So that was that. The elected individuals will all serve on the board and tensions will ebb until, presumably, the next election.

Not really.

Corraro of the PIE team by her own admission wanted to do something about the many campaign signs still around town after the election.

This is a problem all over the state – and probably the nation. I always see a few campaign signs still on public roads weeks after an election.

Corraro put it this way:

“There are lawn signs littering our town. I did some research and found out that the signs cannot be recycled because of their material and if they are thrown out they sit in landfills. I thought it would be a great initiative to start collecting lawn signs and donate to organizations like Habitat for Humanity to upcycle. They can be repurposed as canvases for artists, designed to create shelter for the homeless, teachers can use them in classrooms by painting them with whiteboard/chalkboard paint, and there’s a TON of other ideas. (She said she posted her intentions on Facebook).

“I started collecting all of my slate’s signs, MVP signs on public property only, some of their own supporters asked me to pick theirs up, and some people came and dropped a bunch off. People love this idea because sustainability is sexy and important:

“I posted this late Monday night (Nov. 11) because I thought I was doing good and did not realize I could get in trouble for it. After all, their signs were (and still are) all over public property – many even lying on the ground. MVP has no intention of removing them.”

Clearly, Corraro saw her actions as a good deed. After all, what good are campaign signs when the election is over?

Bellomo of the MVP slate had a different take.

When she realized what Corraro did, she went to the police.

It turns out a municipal ordinance mandates that signs have to be removed seven days after an election. Given the fact Corraro apparently took signs prior to seven days after the election, there was a problem.

Police called it “theft” of one’s private property. In all, there were nine MVP signs that Corraro removed, according to a police report. Their value was $36, the report said.

Bellomo told police she wanted to sign a criminal complaint against Corraro, and that’s precisely what police did.

Asked to comment, Bellomo issued the following statement:

“As a dedicated community volunteer, I feel the recent theft of my election signs reflects poorly on the values of volunteerism and community integrity.

“I was shocked when I found out that my election signs were being stolen. I had planned to repurpose them for local charitable projects this holiday season, and to think that someone took them for their own purposes is deeply disappointing.

“Upon learning of the theft, I immediately contacted local authorities. Following the report, police launched an investigation and were able to recover several of the stolen signs from the individual’s residence. The case is being treated as a disorderly person’s charge for theft.

“Throughout MY campaign, I faced multiple incidents of stolen or defaced materials, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to ethics. I would never take something that doesn’t belong to me, nor would I seek to gain anything through dishonest means. How and where my signs and my name are used is my choice. Stealing, no matter the reason, is simply wrong.

“I truly believe we need to emphasize the importance of respect for one another’s property and the need to uphold integrity within the community. Stealing is shameful, and it undermines the values we all should strive for as volunteers and neighbors. If we’re going to build a stronger community, we need to act with honor and respect for each other.

“Despite the distressing nature of the incident, I want to express gratitude for the swift response from law enforcement and the ongoing support from community members. This situation serves as a reminder of how important it is to stand up for what’s right and to continue working toward the causes that make our community stronger.”

This case will now be heard in municipal court.

As stated, both Bellomo and Corraro will be on the board next year.

Wonder if they’ll be sitting next to each other on the dais.