Pleasant Prairie stolen street signs, man charged 'intended on selling'

PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - Pleasant Prairie police found over a dozen stolen street signs stuffed in the back of a car during a traffic stop, leading to theft charges against Dustin McCallister, 33. Police say he told investigators he has done this before.

Life is full of signs; some abstract and others harder to ignore.

"It was a significant number, to the point they were stacked in the back of the vehicle," said Lt. Zachary Quever.

Police said the signs were found in the back of a car early Wednesday morning, May 10. A sergeant made the discovery during a traffic stop.

"There’s probably a dozen signs in the car," police said in dash camera video.

Dustin McCallister

Prosecutors say McCallister was driving and not forthcoming with legitimate information.

"Actually gave a fake story and said that he had purchased the signs from a friend," said Quever.

However, some signs had a municipality marking. 

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Dustin McCallister

The dash camera video shows the sergeant pointed that out to McCallister, noting some of the signs belonged to the village. Police say they found tools used to take down the signs inside the car.

"Finally admitted to stealing the signs throughout the village," said Quever.

Quever said McCallister intended on selling the signs.

He was charged with eight counts of misdemeanor theft. Police said there could be more charges because some of the signs belonged to Kenosha and one belonged to a school.

"Taxpayers do pay for these signs, and they are not cheap to develop," said Quever.

Dustin McCallister

He said some of these signs can cost $500 to make.

"He said him and his friends have done it in the past," said Quever.

Quever advised others to take this case as their own sign of what not to do.

"You think it’s just fun and games," said Quever. "There’s significant consequences."