Lawmaker Charged in Campaign Sign Theft
Connecticut state Rep. Anne Hughes was issued a summons for misdemeanor larceny after police found lawn signs belonging to her Republican challenger at her home.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Property Crime
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Democratic state Rep. Anne Hughes, seeking a fifth term in the 135th House District covering Easton, Redding and Weston, was issued a summons for sixth-degree larceny. Police went to her house at 10 p.m. after an air tag hidden in a lawn sign by Republican challenger Darrell Harris's campaign tracked it to her property.
Why it matters
The case involves a sitting lawmaker in a competitive reelection race and shows how campaigns are using tracking devices to respond to repeated sign disappearances. It also raises questions about where campaign materials can lawfully be placed and removed in Connecticut communities.
Hughes was issued a summons for sixth-degree larceny and is due to appear in court in two weeks. The reports do not yet establish the outcome of the charge or whether she will contest it.
The players
Anne Hughes
Anne Hughes is a Democratic state representative for Connecticut's 135th House District, which covers Easton, Redding and Weston, and is seeking a fifth term.
Darrell Harris
Darrell Harris is the Republican challenger to Rep. Anne Hughes in the 135th House District race in Connecticut.
The details
Harris's campaign hid air tags in some of its lawn signs after they repeatedly disappeared, and a Friday tracking alert placed one sign at Hughes's property. Hughes told officers she had signs from several campaigns, including Gov. Ned Lamont's, and handed over the pile of signs when police arrived.
Timeline
Friday: Harris's campaign tracked one air-tagged sign to Hughes's property.
Saturday: Hughes was issued a summons for misdemeanor larceny after police visited her home at 10 p.m.
In two weeks: Hughes is due to appear in court.
Legal Context
Connecticut treats theft of property below the felony threshold as sixth-degree larceny, a misdemeanor that carries lower penalties than felony theft. Applying that charge to removed campaign signs places a routine property offense at the center of a contested legislative race.
Residents of Easton, Redding and Weston may see campaign signs and other property becoming a point of dispute as the election approaches. Anyone who places or removes campaign signs should be aware that taking another campaign's property can lead to a larceny summons.
The takeaway
Campaign sign disputes can escalate into criminal charges even when the items involved are inexpensive. Voters and campaigns alike should understand that removing another campaign's property without permission can carry legal consequences.
What happens next
Hughes is due to appear in court in two weeks, at which point the charge will be formally addressed.
Further reading
Find more coverage of Property Crime reported across Connecticut.
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