Sign asks for thieves to give stolen stuff back

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A Terre Haute man posted a sign in his yard asking for his stolen property to be returned.

Steve Dickerson is what many might call your average working American.

Dickerson says, "I don't have much, and what I have, I work hard for."

So, naturally, Dickerson was upset when someone stole fishing gear and work tools from the back of his truck, which isn't the first time things went missing.

Dickerson is now forced to chain down his property, our sister station WTHI reports.

"We've had decorations stolen from the house, someone tried to steal my truck," he said.

Dickerson took action by placing a sign in his front yard at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and 13th Street.

The sign states,

    "Whoever stole my fisherman gear and tools out of my truck please bring them back. I worked hard for it, you didn't!"

Dickerson says, "I have a good location, I put a sign out. Maybe it will apply to their inner, decent person, and maybe they'll bring my stuff back."

Altogether, he may have lost a $1,000, but to him, the property was much more.

"It may not be even worth anything to anyone else but it's priceless to me," he said.

One of the stolen fishing poles was hand-made by Dickerson's grandfather.

"You know, it's not just one he made, but it's the one he taught me how to make.  Also, it's something we have together. It's a legacy," said Dickerson.

Bill Reynolds, Dickerson's grandfather says, "It takes a lot of work and to have somebody steal it.  It's something else."

Dickerson says, "If at all possible, I would love to have an apology.  If not, drop it off. Drop it off, so I can have the stuff I work so hard for."

The sign has been up for a week, yet still no sign of Dickerson's stolen property.