Vandalised sign restored

Siesta Key beachgoers might have noticed something missing near the main beach pavilion for the past few weeks. The large sign proclaiming Siesta Key Beach’s No. 1 ranking that was installed in January has been missing for the last few weeks. Some time between 9 p.m. March 15 and 7 a.m. March 16, the front half of the sign was stolen, and, according to the Sheriff’s Office incident report, this constitutes a felony grand theft.

The double-sided sign, which is a blown-up replica of a 1950s-esque postcard, has a photo on one side that reads, “Siesta #1 Beach in the USA!” The other side depicts the back of a postcard, with the text, “Wish you were here … ”

The front portion of the sign, with which visitors are encouraged to pose for photos, was stolen and was temporarily replaced with beach-condition reports.

According to Curt Preisser, a spokesperson for Sarasota County, the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau had a replacement front manufactured by the vendor, SignZoo, for $327.

The repaired sign was restored to its original condition about noon Tuesday, April 3. According to the incident report, deputies dusted for latent fingerprints, but there are no witnesses or suspects at this point.