In an incredible decision ostensibly based on the law, Kern County District Attorney Ed Jagels declined to press charges after local talk radio host Scott Cox was busted for stealing 15 road signs belonging to Kern High School District Trustee Chad Vegas. Cox, a long-time Vegas-hater, took his 17-year old son along for a joy ride of theft, trespassing and vandalism but was caught by a local resident as he folded, smashed and stomped a 4x8 into submission so he could stash it inside his borrowed H3 (courtesy of local car dealership and radio advertiser 3 Way Chevrolet).

Cox claimed he was only "borrowing" the signs as well - although he wasn't in a returning mood until the concerned witness took down his license number and gave it to Vegas who promptly turned it over to the Kern County Sheriff's Department. Only then was Cox forced to return the signs to their posts throughout the City of Bakersfield.

The normally law and order Jagels determined there wasn't enough evidence to prove that Cox intended to "permanently" deprive Vegas of his 4x8 signs. So news flash to California candidates - go ahead and abscond with your opponent's road signs, just return them on November 5th. Sure, it's one day after the election...but it's not "permanent."