by Amanda Hara
PLEASANT VIEW, Tenn.- In the dark of night, someone snuck through the town of Pleasant View, stealing more than a dozen street signs. The thieves may not have known it then, but one of those signs carried special meaning.
Nuway Drive, Bell Street, and Echo Lane. They're just a few of the 22 streets signs that were stolen from the town of Pleasant View over the weekend.
Most know how to get around with out them, but the Riley family had a hard time navigating Wednesday.
"We make it a habit to go over where the sign is. It's called Lance Corporal Gabe Raney Boulevard," said Penny Riley.
Lance Corporal Raney is Penny Riley's son and Luke Riley's brother. He's also a marine killed in Afghanistan and memorialized with the now missing sign.
Each January 18th, Raney's birthday, Penny and Luke Riley make a point to visit Lance Corporal Gabe Raney Boulevard. Every time, except Wednesday.
"This was a place here in Pleasant View that we could go and honor him and now I can't go today and I couldn't go yesterday. It makes me sad that someone took the only thing we have to honor him," said Penny Riley.
Pleasant View Police suspect teens were behind the crime.
"I think they knew what they were doing as far as stealing signs I don't think they probably put any thought into the fact they were stealing a tribute to a fallen soldier on this particular sign," said Officer David Wright.
"If they could just return the sign in remembrance of him that is all we would ask," said Riley,
The town of Pleasant View made 22 new street signs all slated to go up Friday. But if police do find the old Lance Corporal Gabe Raney Boulevard, they intend to give it to the Riley's as another tribute to their sacrifice.
Fitting, considering Penny Riley had always hoped it would be just a little closer to home.
"I have thought so many times, boy I wish that sign was here in my yard," she said
It cost more than $500 to order new signs.The police department is offering a $250 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
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