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Custer Memorial Association hoping to recover two missing road signs

Photo Provided This is one of two New Rumley signs that were reported stolen Thursday. Both signs were located in the community along Ohio 646 in Rumley Township. Local officials are encouraging anyone with information regarding the signs' whereabouts to contact the Harrison County Sheriff's Department.

NEW RUMLEY — The Custer Memorial Association is hoping to recover two signs that apparently were stolen earlier this week from New Rumley, an unincorporated community inside Rumley Township.

The two signs, stationed at either end of the community along Ohio 646, have vanished. Only the posts the signs were mounted atop remain.

Dave Rose, president of the Custer Memorial Association, said officials noticed the signs were missing Wednesday but were unsure if they possibly had just been taken down for maintenance purposes. After contacting the Ohio History Connection and the Ohio Department of Transportation, Rose said he discovered that was not the case and reported the potential theft to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.

Lauren Borrell, spokeswoman for ODOT District 11, confirmed that the signs were not removed by ODOT personnel.

Rose said there was no damage to the posts that might indicate they were accidentally struck and no trace of either sign around the area. It appears the signs were intentionally taken down, he said.

The signs are approximately 4 feet long and 4 feet wide, are made of metal and are very heavy, he said.

Rose said this is not the first time a sign has been purposefully taken in the area. A few years ago, an Ohio History Connection sign was stolen from the village of Scio, he said. That sign was reportedly scrapped for metal, he added.

The two signs originally were installed by the Ohio History Connection in 1990 to commemorate the birthplace of Gen. George Armstrong Custer, famed for his loss of the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Rose said the memorial association is hoping to recover the signs and urges anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office at 740-942-2197.

“If anyone who may have seen anyone tampering with them or knows where they might be, please call the sheriff’s office,” he said.

Sheriff Ronald “Joe” Myers said the department is investigating the missing signs and looking into possible leads.

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