Sheriff Steve Berg reported to Bismarck police that more than 30 of his campaign signs had been stolen early Thursday morning. Police found the signs in the yard of his opponent in November's election.

Bismarck Police Sgt. Mark Buschena said Pat Heinert, who is challenging Berg for the sheriff's office, told police he had found the signs in his yard Thursday morning. He said he took the signs down and called Berg to come get them, Buschena said.

Berg reported to police that 31 small campaign signs and one large sign had been taken from South Third Street between Denver Avenue and Reno Avenue, the corner of Columbia Drive and Tulsa Drive and from his yard on the 1900 block of Billings Drive, Buschena said. He said Berg said the signs were stolen between 2:15 a.m. and 8:55 a.m.

Buschena said witnesses on Columbia Drive said they saw a silver car stop by some of Berg's signs.

Officers went to Heinert's home on the 1500 block of Eastwood Street, Buschena said. He said Heinert told them he had found the small signs in his yard and a large, broken sign propped up against a tree.

Thursday wasn't the first time one of the candidates in this year's Burleigh County sheriff's election had signs moved in the middle of the night.

On Sunday, someone placed more than 20 signs urging people to vote for Heinert for Burleigh County sheriff in Berg's yard.