Bainbridge police have discovered the identity of two people accused of repeatedly stealing a local architect’s sandwich board sign.

A previously unknown man and woman had been recorded via surveillance footage removing the architect’s business sign from where it sat in front of his office (on the corner of Winslow Way and Ferncliff Avenue) as they walked their dog numerous times since May.

They would take the sandwich board and hide it in different places — the dumpster down the street, bushes across the street, and other places.

The architect finally provided police with the surveillance video after one particular incident, on June 25, when the couple took his sign, as well as several others, and put them in the middle of the nearby intersection. He also provided video of similar incidents that took place on May 21, June 3, June 8, June 11 and June 22.

On Sept. 5 an officer observed the couple walking their dog, which matched a video taken by the sign owner, on Winslow Way and approached them. He explained they were suspected of causing damage to the sign and moving it into traffic as well as possibly harassing the sign’s owner.

The couple did not immediately deny involvement, but did ask the officer what exactly he was talking about.

He explained they’d been caught on video moving the architect’s sign.

The woman became argumentative and asked repeatedly where the supposed photos and video were. The officer explained they’d been submitted to the police electronically and had been attached to the original report. She asked again where they were several more times. Finally, the officer produced his phone and showed them the photos.

Neither of the couple had identification on them at the time, but they did verbally identify themselves as husband and wife, 65 and 61, respectively, both of Bainbridge.

The couple “spontaneously uttered” they were “involved” with the city council, police reported, and said they had removed the signs because they thought the signs were unlawful.

The officer explained that was not true, and that even if the sign was unpermitted, it is illegal to take other people’s property, “not to mention putting things dangerous in traffic in a busy intersection.”

He told the couple a report would be forwarded to the prosecutor, at which point the woman said she was “disappointed” with the officer’s behavior.

He thanked her for her opinion.

The man half of the allegedly pilfering pair was ultimately revealed to be an architect himself.

The owner of the sign later said he was interested in an apology or engaging in some kind of discussion, and a report was filed and forwarded for consideration of the charges of theft, disorderly conduct and littering.