NEWTON - Selectman candidate Bob Donovan Jr. hopes the public will help police track down the thief who swiped 80 of his campaign signs sometime Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Donovan, a former two-term selectman challenging incumbent Trisha McCarthy, said he discovered the signs missing Saturday morning and notified police.

"Hopefully somebody saw something. They hit every street in town. That's a lot of signs in the small town of Newton," he said Sunday.

Donovan put the corrugated plastic signs around town about two weeks ago. He said they cost nearly $1,400. He had 20 left that he's put out, but hadn't checked to see if they were still in place Sunday morning.

When asked if he knows who may be behind the sign thefts, Donovan said, "I know there are a few people that don't want me."

Donovan urged anyone with information about the thefts to call the Newton Police Department at 382-6774.

jschreiber@newstote.com