Turf Wars: State Senate Candidate Accused Of Stealing Lawn Signs

WEST GREENWICH, RI — The battle for lawn sign dominance may have gone a bit too far after a state senate candidate was in court on charges he stole his opponent's lawn signs.

Scott Copley, a Republican candidate for a state senate district which includes Coventry, East Greenwich, and West Greenwich, pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday. The court appearance came after after his opponent, incumbent Sen. Leonidas Raptakis accused him of stealing three lawn signs from two gas stations. West Greenwich Police arrested Copley in late September.

According to the police report, the combined retail value for the signs is about $10.

Copley, 43, of Coventry, is challenging Raptakis again after losing by 406 votes in the 2016 race for Senate District 33. Two years ago Copley ran as an independent. This year he is running as a Republican.

Copley told the Newport Daily News he saw Raptakis signs “going up everywhere” last month, including on church property and other places he didn’t think they should be. One of those locations was two gas stations where he had signs in 2016.

Copley said he spoke to the owners of the stations, who told him the Raptakis signs shouldn’t be there. So on Sept. 29, Copley took the matter into his own hands and removed the signs, he told the Newport Daily News.

Later that day Raptakis, drove by one of the gas station stations, a Sunoco at Nooseneck Hill Road. Police said Raptakis called right away. Police then reviewed surveillance footage at the Sunoco that showed Copley taking the signs. Police later received a call from Raptakis again about more missing signs, which is when he decided to press charges.

Copley, who was released on his own recognizance, has his next court date scheduled for Dec. 5.

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