AN AMISH ALERT sign on County Road 426 in Escanaba Township in Delta County. Two such signs were stolen in early May, after four disappeared in September 2019. (Clarissa Kell/Daily Press photo)

ESCANABA — The distinctive horse-and-buggy Amish alert signs in Delta County again are going missing, authorities said.

The Delta County Sheriff’s Department received a report May 3 that two of the signs had been stolen from County Road 426, within Escanaba and Cornell townships. These thefts bring the total number of Amish alert signs stolen from various roads throughout Delta County to seven in just two years. Four of the signs were taken in late 2019.

After Amish families moved into Delta County during the summer of 2019, the Delta County Road Commission installed six Amish alert signs on a number of county roads in both Cornell and Escanaba townships. The signs — yellow diamonds that depict a horse-drawn buggy — advise motorists they may have to share the roadway with Amish who use the shoulder when traveling.

On Sept. 9 and Sept. 21 in 2019, the first four Amish signs were reported to the sheriff’s department as stolen, with two signs taken on each date. In these incidents, the posts holding the signs were removed from the ground as well, meaning the thief had to dislodge the pole from 3-foot deep concrete to obtain it. The signs were never returned, and the Delta County Road Commission replaced them all.

In the recent May 3 incident, only the signs were removed, with the poles left in place. As a result of the 2019 thefts, a camera was placed on at least one of the Amish alert signs in Delta County. The May 3 sheriff’s report, however, had no indication of a camera at the site.

The Delta County Road Commission is no longer replacing the Amish alert signs unless the township requests and pays for them. The current price for the alert signs is $80 each.

The theft of these signs raise a number of safety concerns for both the Amish community and motorists traveling the county roads. Horse-drawn buggies travel at a much slower rate than automobiles, so motorists can be caught off-guard coming across the buggies when traveling at high speeds. These buggies are also not built to endure high-impact collisions like most modern vehicles, which are equipped with seat belts, airbags and other protective measures.

Drivers in Delta County should be cautious when traveling county roads, for members of the Amish community travel to and from Escanaba and Gladstone for shopping needs. When coming into contact with a buggy, it is important to slow down and pass with care, leaving plenty of room between vehicles to ensure safety.

Before the 2019 thefts occurred, the Delta County Sheriff’s Department worked with the Amish community to have more Amish alert signs installed on the county roads. The request for more signs was due to increased safety concerns within the Amish community regarding the seriousness of automobile-buggy crashes.

Roughly three months ago, a serious accident in downstate Michigan involved an automobile and a horse-drawn buggy. In Montcalm County, the buggy was struck March 10 from the front by a pickup truck that crossed the center line. The buggy’s two occupants were seriously injured and the horse died.

After the 2019 thefts, local authorities unsuccessfully urged the thieves to return the signs, which are difficult to obtain because they have to be specially made and not usually in stock, so it takes longer than usual to replace them.

The Delta County Road Commission has asked that the public report any information on the theft and vandalism of the Amish alert signs to the Delta County Sheriff’s Office at 906-786-3633.