Gail Borden candidate accused of stealing hundreds of campaign signs

A Gail Borden library candidate who lost in Tuesday's election was arrested Wednesday after police found at his home hundreds of stolen campaign signs promoting local politicians, authorities said.

Randy Hopp, 65, of the 1500 block of Pamela Drive in Elgin, is charged with theft, according to a Facebook post from the Elgin Police Department.

He was released after posting bail.

Elgin Councilman Richard Dunne reported Saturday that his campaign sign on the 300 block of South Randall Road had been stolen for the third time, according to the post. Officers learned more signs had been stolen in the area of Chicago Street and Shales Parkway and connected the thefts to Hopp, who is due in Kane County court Wednesday on separate charges of resisting a police officer, the post said.

On Aug. 13, police were dispatched to his house after a report that Hopp and his mother were yelling at each other. Hopp bumped a police officer to prevent him from getting inside their home, authorities said.

Hopp served as library trustee from 2009 to 2013. He was banned for a time from the library after staff members complained of harassing and threatening behavior from him, and security escorted him at board meetings.

He was accused in 2011 of hitting his late father, and the charges were later dismissed.

In Tuesday's election, incumbents Beth Kruger, Sue Moylan and Patricia Harkin were re-elected to the Gail Borden Public Library board.

Unofficial results with all 82 precincts reporting showed Kruger with 5,259 votes, Moylan with 4,998 votes and Harkin with 4,156 votes. Challengers Amanda Garcia had 3,480 votes, Tiffany Henderson had 3,188 and Hopp had 2,417.

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