Man arrested for allegedly stealing photo radar signs in Tempe
A man was arrested last week for allegedly stealing two photo radar signs in Tempe.
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PHOENIX — A man was arrested last week for allegedly stealing two photo radar signs in Tempe, authorities said.
Sven Siverston, 55, is accused of taking the signs on Aug. 5 after his truck was flashed by a mobile speed camera on Scottsdale Road near Thomas Road, according to the Tempe Police Department.
Video surveillance shows Siverston returning the area around 30 minutes later, walking up to the photo radar sign, kicking sandbags off its base and then carrying the sign away.
“The ask is simple: Drive safely and obey the law,” Tempe Police Commander Kim Hale said in a press release. “If you get caught, accept the responsibility and pay the fine. Tampering with safety equipment puts lives at risk and will not be tolerated. It undermines public safety … (and) disrupts lawful operations.”
Suspect allegedly admitted to stealing photo radar signs
In a video police posted to Facebook, it was noted that Siverston put the sign in his vehicle and drove off.
He was arrested on Aug. 13. Police said he admitted to taking and throwing away two signs because he was upset that he was caught by the speed camera.
Siverston faces charges of obstructing government operations, interference with an official traffic control device and theft.
“He took what would be a civil traffic infraction and a small fine or traffic school and ended with three criminal charges and being booked into jail,” Sgt. Kurt Buczkowski of the Tempe Police Auto Crimes Unit said in the video.
Tempe rolled out red light and speeding cameras earlier this year. The city started issuing tickets for violations in early June.
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Comments
9 Comments
Speaking of driving….
Killer of 3.
Harjinder Singh, who crossed into the United States illegally in 2018 via the southern border, obtained a commercial driver's license in California. He attempted to obtain work authorization, but it was rejected by the first Trump administration on Sept. 14, 2020, according to Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs.
"During [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's] interview with the driver, investigators administered an English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment in accordance with FMCSA guidance," the Department of Transportation said in a statement. "The driver failed the assessment, providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs."
Newsoms world.
Usual suspect
Siverston took and threw the signs away. What a waste, he should have listed them on Craigslist or eBay, they'd make great man cave decor.
It's reasonable to expect authorities to examine Siverston's phones GPS history as well as his social media accounts do in the end it wouldn't have mattered.
Disenfranchised residents in many jurisdictions have united and passed local legislation to abolish, restrict or eliminate photo radar enforcement efforts.
If Sven Siverston was that incensed over his citation perhaps he should have led a grassroot cause to overturn the use of such devices.
On a comical note, several jurisdictions viciously defended the implementation of photo radar and/or red light cameras in an effort to promote safety, later some of those jurisdictions removed them voluntarily since they didn't generate the amount of projected revenue that they had initially expected, even though it was entirely about "Safety".