Detroit auto shop owner Michael Murphy supports former President Donald Trump, and he thinks someone with the city has a problem with that.

In recent weeks, Murphy told WJBK, political signs he put up outside Pointe Auto Tech on Detroit’s east side have been repeatedly removed, while signs promoting Vice President Kamala Harris nearby have been left untouched.

“A white City of Detroit truck pulling up and taking them,” he said.

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After the first time the signs were swiped on Oct. 21, “I got some more,” Murphy said, only to have those removed, as well.

“They said I was not allowed to put them between the sidewalk and the curb,” he said. “I have put them there, but I’ve put them against the building and they’ve taken those as well.”

Detroit General Services Director Crystal Perkins confirmed Murphy’s signs were taken down because she claimed they violate the Detroit Sign Ordinance that requires them to be at least five feet back from the sidewalk.

“The space between the sidewalk and the street is still public property and right-of-way,” she told WJBK. “So signs can’t be placed in that area, it’s a prohibited area.”

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When confronted with Harris signs a few blocks from Murphy’s shop that appear to violate the ordinance, Perkins agreed the signs were in violation but denied any double standard.

“It’s unfortunate that he feels that way. We are not targeting one political party or person that’s running for an official office,” Perkins said. “We are taking down all signs placed in prohibited areas.”

The situation created enough frustration that Murphy took the time to bolt his signs to a fence on his property, and he now removes a Trump flag that depicts The Don as Rambo each night.

“Why would you do this?” Murphy mused. “Even if you don’t like Trump you can’t take my signs.”

With the city making clear it can and will, Murphy said he’s now prepared with a stockpile of signs to ensure he can continue to support Trump through Election Day.

The debacle in Detroit is one of many for Trump supporters in Michigan during the 2024 election.

Earlier this month, a Charlevoix County man was arrested for larceny after police allege he stole 72 Trump signs in Antrim County, where one Trump supporter inserted an Apple AirTag into a replacement sign after several thefts.

“After reporting one of these thefts a homeowner placed an Apple ‘AirTag’ into a replacement sign and a camera was installed over the area of the sign,” Charlevoix County Prosecutor Christopher Tholen told WPBN.

“What it appears they were doing is trying to inconvenience people, harass people, or intimidate people,” he said, “and that’s what’s egregious about this situation.”

Investigators tracked the AirTag to a residence in Charlevoix, where they executed a search warrant and ultimately arrested an unidentified 27-year-old after discovering a total of 72 signs “all advocating for the same presidential candidate,” Tholen said.

“The resident of that home was found to drive a vehicle that matches a vehicle shown on camera stealing the campaign sign,” he said.

Authorities did not name the candidate, but the news site aired photos of the Trump signs.

As police were at the man’s home, his aunt arrived and allegedly told police she suggested the sign stealing as a joke, MLive reports.

“She was interviewed by police and stated that she had told the man she would pay him $10 for each sign he took that belonged to the presidential candidate,” Tholen told WPBN. “She claimed that this was a ‘joke.’”

The Charlevoix County arrest was the second in a week, with another involving a woman who was busted by a passing motorist swiping a sign from a residence near Walloon Lake the month prior.

“A motorist saw the person taking the signs and was able to take a picture of the license plate,” Tholen told WPBN. “An then from that license plate, police were able to identify the person who was seen taking the signs.”

“The past 29 years that I have been here, it does appear that this seems to be a lot more larceny of political signs than the recent years in the past,” Antrim County Sheriff Steven Huch said.

Steeling or defacing political signs is a misdemeanor with a potential penalty of 90 days in jail and a $500 fine, though the consequences can be significantly more severe.

An 80-year-old Trump supporter in Hancock was targeted by a vandal on an ATV who pulled up Trump signs as he set them up in his yard in July.

When the man put them back, the driver returned and ran the man over, sending him to the hospital with a critical brain bleed. The incident was one of three involving politically motivated vandalism that also included vehicle tires with the valve stems snapped off and smashed windows for folks who support Trump and law enforcement.

Police put out an alert for the suspect, who later called to confess and request Hancock Police “send someone to pick me up,” WLUC reports.

When authorities arrived at the suspect’s Quincy Township residence on July 22, the found the 22-year-old suspect dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, along with the ATV and clothing the suspect was wearing during the crimes.