A few Suburban Estates residents were in for a surprise when they returned from their semester break to find their collections of road signs missing from their apartments and replaced with search warrants.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office obtained 15 road signs after searching five apartments Dec. 23.

The maximum sentence for the misdemeanor of possession of stolen property is one year in jail and a $100 fine.

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said while no arrests have been made yet, students will be contacted this week. The Sheriff’s department will then conduct interviews with the residents to determine what action will be taken.

Scott said anyone living in one of the searched apartments can be charged with joint possession of stolen property, even if the sign is claimed by one resident.

Scott said missing stop signs are the major concern among stolen street signs because of the danger involved. He said, “People depend on the (stop) signs,” and the back-roads are very dangerous without them.

Lt. Roger Davis said he obtained master keys from the Suburban Estates management to enter the apartments. “We took the contraband and left the search warrant on the table so they (residents) would know what happened,” Davis said.

Although stop signs were the main target in the search, Scott said even road signs not belonging to the county were taken because they fit the description of the search warrant.

The confiscated signs included four stop signs, six yellow road flashers, one barricade, one traffic cone, one directional arrow sign, one “no parking” sign and one informational sign.

Scott said, “This fall we had a real rash of thefts, especially stop signs.”

Davis and Scott agreed the main goal is to get the signs back and to inform citizens of the danger in stealing them. “Signs can be returned by calling us voluntarily and telling us they have the sign. I wouldn’t anticipate any police action,” Scott said.

University Police Lt. Ron Williams said street sign thefts on campus have not been out of the ordinary this year.