Seattle man ratchets up sign stealing 

As anyone familiar with Franklin and Gulf counties well knows, stealing political signs around election time is a time-dishonored tradition, affecting local, state and national candidates.

But one Seattle, Washington man decided earlier this month to pump things up a bit.

On Oct. 16, Michael Todd Castle, 53, of Seattle, Washington, in Carrabelle aboard a research vessel involved with mapping the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, was arrested by Carrabelle police and charged with five election-related crimes.

Carrabelle Police Chief Robbie Hogan said Castle declined to provide a statement to officers as to why on the early morning hours of Oct. 9 he had stolen signs from a home and a place of business in Carrabelle, and then scratched the name “Harris” on six of eight glass windows at the IGA and well as both of its soft drink machines.

Hogan said Castle’s spree began at about 3:30 a.m. when Castle tore down a Trump banner which was zip tied to a picket fence in the front yard of a home near Fifth Street.

“He walked in the front yard and tore the banner down and walked away from it,” said Hogan.

That crime, which was captured on a security camera, would earn Castle a charge of criminal mischief with damage under $200; second degree petit theft – first offense; and trespassing – not on structure or conveyance. 

Later, Castle would venture onto Martin’s House of Coins in downtown Carrabelle, and take two Trump signs, nailing him with a second petit theft charge.

At another point, Castle would carve Harris’ name in the windows of the IGA and into its soft drink machine, and that would award him a felony charge, for criminal mischief in excess of $1,000.

Because all three had security cameras, as well as at the Moorings where the vessel was docked, it was a matter of time before Castle would be picked up at the RV Thunder, a research vessel from the Woolpert Company that is under contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to do mapping on the floor of the Gulf and bays.

The Woolpert Company, founded in 1911 and now with more than 2,000 employees and more than 60 office locations worldwide (including in Pensacola, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Miami), did not respond to inquiries.

But Hogan said two company representatives have reached out to make things right.

“Two gentlemen from the boat came the next day after he was arrested, apologized and said they had fired him because it reflected poorly on them,” he said. “From what I have been told this gentleman is no longer welcome on the vessel.”

Hogan said the company had ordered new glass for the IGA.

The chief said he does not believe Castle knew the victims, and that there have been no other reported incidents of sign theft. “Nobody has spoken to me directly about anyone taking anyone’s signs,” Hogan said.

The same cannot be said in Apalachicola where there have been reports of Harris-Walz signs being stolen and thrown behind a shed. 

In addition, at last week’s appearance by Florei Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried’s appearance at the Armory, she was confronted by several complaints of Democrats’ signs being stolen.