Just weeks after Portsmouth made headlines over the theft of a Democratic Party advertising bench, the mysterious bench bandits appear to have struck once more. Police say two additional benches have now been reported stolen — this time from the area of 11th and Findlay Street.
The earlier theft of the 400-pound concrete Democratic bench turned into a full-blown political firestorm, with Democrats calling it a targeted act meant to silence them. Courtesy Advertising, the company that owns and maintains the city’s benches, eventually tracked down the culprit and recovered the missing seat — though not before the controversy sparked fundraisers, rallies, and plenty of social media chatter.
However, this latest theft is unlikely to be politically motivated. The Democratic Party ad from the original missing bench has since been remounted on a different bench along Gallia Street, and the owner of Courtesy Advertising has publicly vowed to steer clear of politics altogether going forward.
Still, the disappearance of two more heavy benches raises fresh questions. Is this a new rash of thefts, a repeat offender, or something else entirely?
Portsmouth police are investigating, but so far there are no confirmed suspects and no word on where the benches may have ended up.
What’s certain: benches in Portsmouth have never carried so much weight in the city’s drama.
