Montana's Park Signs are being Stolen: Here's how to help!

Whoever you are, here is your sign to stop stealing signs in Montana!

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) are on the hunt for more information about state-owned signs being stolen from sites in the Southwestern region.

Get our free mobile app

Last year signs were stolen from Lost Creek State Park, which included three traffic signs and three welcome signs. On top of those being stolen, signs were also taken from Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, Limespur Fishing Access Site, and the Williams Bridge Fishing Access Site.

Most recently, thieves have taken two moose crossing signs from the Missouri Headwaters State Park in November.

In total, more than 20 signs have been stolen from Region 3 in the past couple of years.

credit: Canva

Possible Consequences

Montana classifies most theft offenses based on the value of the property and, in some cases, by the type of property. We don't know how much the signs are worth... But if they are less than $1,500, this is what the perpetrator could face.

According to Montana Law, it's considered a misdemeanor if the property stolen does not exceed $1,500 in value. For first-time offenders, the penalty can be a fine up to $500. If the person is convicted a second time, they can possibly spend up to six months in jail, and if they are convicted a third time, the consequences can be one year in jail.

Signs are not souvenirs!

"Stealing from a state park or a fishing access site is stealing from the people of Montana," - Linnaea Schroeer, regional Parks and Outdoor Recreation Program manager for FWP.

If you do have information on any of the stolen property, FWP has asked that you visit tipmont.mt.gov to get in touch with a local game warden. For this particular crime, you may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Credit: FWP , archive.legmt.gov

The 7 Most Dangerous Towns In Montana

Based on information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, these are the most dangerous towns in Montana according to population and the number of violent and property crimes.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

20 License Plates Banned In Montana

This is just a small glimpse at banned license plates in the state of Montana. There are well over 4000 that could be added to this list.

Now why some of these are banned is beyond me. I don't find any of them offensive, that's for sure; the state of Montana has the right to refuse:

"any combination of letters or numbers, or both, that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which are misleading or a duplication of license plates provided elsewhere."- Montana Motor Vehicle Department

What plates are banned in your state? Hopefully, they are not as picky as Montana.

Gallery Credit: Megan Shaul, Will Gordon

Top 5 Safest Cities In Montana, 2023

Like every state, there are always going to be a few towns that make us think twice about moving there or deciding where to raise our kiddos. But like I always say, "negative yells and positive whispers". The same goes for crime and violence; we hear about all the drug busts, assaults, break-ins, etc. It's not very often we hear about all the great things right?

Well, the list came out from Safewise, and we now know where the Five Safest Cities In Montana are.

Gallery Credit: Megan Shaul