An iconic piece of a Maine town has resurfaced, albeit under mysterious circumstances, after it was stolen.
The metal "Welcome to Kennebunkport" sign has greeted people crossing a busy bridge for almost fifteen years. But last Friday, the town's police department put up a Facebook post saying the sign had been stolen.
"I was afraid they scrapped it for metal," said Zachary Kallum, who says he made the sign back in 2006 or 2007 when he was a bartender at Hurricane Restaurant.
"It was my idea, no one came to me to do it," he explained. "You'd see people taking pictures in front of the generic green [sign] and I thought this would work better."
Kallum himself actually noticed the sign — made mostly of copper, stainless steel, aluminum and enamel — missing from its post on a bridge connecting Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.
On Christmas Eve, he drove through the area, didn't see his work and called the town of Kennebunkport to see if the sign was being cleaned.
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Eventually, it was determined the sign was taken and only resurfacing this past Sunday because of an "anonymous tip," according to Kennebunkport police Chief Craig Sanford.
"We got some information the sign was behind a building here in town," Sanford said. "Somebody that is a manager at this building happened to see it while doing some maintenance."
The sign was taken to the police station by an officer that same day and, by Monday, was being polished by Kallum before being returned to its perch.
"I'm very happy today," Kallum said.
Kennebunkport police are still reviewing evidence to figure out who took the sign and why.
Anyone with information is asked to contact them.
