No one said campaigning to become the next Eaton County Sheriff would be easy.

"This is my first time in politics," Tom Reich said.

But Reich said he draws the line at hundreds of stolen campaign signs.

"We've lost about 150 in the past three to four weeks," he said.

So a stakeout was planned Monday Night at st. Joe and Canal Road. Reich said he waited in a church parking lot across the street when...

"All of a sudden my wife says, Tom, the sheriff's car just pulled up," Reich said.

That's when Reich claims they saw the sheriff's wife, Laurie Raines get out of the car and head toward his sign.

"I saw one person lean over my yard sign and it appeared to me they were trying to steal it," he said.

Not true said Laurie Raines.

She said she was putting her own sign in the yard.

"I put my sign in," she said. "I didn't touch Mr. Reich's sign. I didn't even get near his sign."

According to the police report, no signs were stolen Monday but a Reich sign that was laying on the side of the road near Mount Hope was taken in for fingerprint analysis.

The Raines said this is just a political ploy.

"I can't believe someone would stoop so low as to attack my family," Sheriff Mike Raines said. "We welcome an investigation from anyone. We have nothing to hide."

Reich disagrees.

"Why were they out at 10:15 at night? Why did they touch my sign? Why did they speed off? Those are the questions I have," Reich said.

Normally the Eaton County Prosecutor would have to authorize or reject the arrest warrant the state police requested.

In this case, he's sending the request on to the State Attorney General's office and asking the AG to assign a special prosecutor.