Missing street signs can have serious consequences, Melville Rd resident Natasja Boon said.
She said one of the biggest concerns raised was the impact on emergency services, with people reporting ambulances being unable to find the correct address.
Commenters on Facebook said that GPS systems and Google Maps failed, leaving them to stand where the street sign should have been to direct emergency services to their home.
St John now pinpoints a caller’s location using data collected during the phone call, allowing ambulances to travel directly to the location without relying on street signs, a spokesperson said.
However, St John still recommended that street signs and mailboxes were clearly marked to help emergency vehicles reach properties as quickly as possible, they said.
A road sign for Melville Rd is missing on State Highway 2 near Awakeri. Photo / Supplied
Some commenters on Facebook said they believed the stolen street signs were being sold to scrap metal dealers.
Scrap metal dealers will buy aluminium signs but are required to collect seller information if they believe the material may be stolen. This information is then passed on to the police.
Colin Magee, who made the original post, told the Beacon that he believed some signs were possibly being taken as trophies to be displayed in man caves and garages.
Roads frequently affected by sign theft include Hogg Rd, Moody Rd, Melville Rd, Station Rd, Butler Rd, Mottrams Rd, Hydro Rd, Stevens Rd, Murupara Rd, and Sutherland Rd.
Ann-Elise Reynolds, manager of Transportation at Whakatāne District Council, said this behaviour was “similar to issues such as graffiti and illegal dumping”.
“While the council responds where it can, it creates unnecessary work and cost for the wider community,” Reynolds said.
She said the council tried to respond and replace missing signs as quickly as possible but acknowledged that this could take time, particularly when signs were repeatedly stolen soon after replacement.
The cost of replacing stolen signs over the past two years was $25,000.
Funding for replacement signs is shared between the Whakatāne District Council and the National Land Transport Fund. Last year alone, 60 signs were replaced.
The signs are manufactured by Street Signs & Traffic Control Equipment Ltd and installed by local contractors working for the council.
Residents can report missing street signs to the council using the Fix It form on the council’s website at whakatane.govt.nz/fixit, or by calling the council’s customer service line on 07 306 0500.