LA County Sheriff candidate Matt Rodriguez's campaign signs stolen, rearranged to spell out "Alex"

Whether it was a political prank or a dirty trick, LA County sheriff candidate Matt Rodriguez wants to know who rearranged his campaign signs to spell out the name of the incumbent, Alex Villanueva.

Dozens of Rodriguez's campaign signs were stolen and rearranged on a chain-link fence Sunday to spell out "Alex," right in front of the department's Monterey Park facilities.

The department's spokespeople say they know nothing about the signs, even though deputies are constantly coming and going from the facility, the presence of a guard shack nearly at street level, and security cameras mounted high above the area.

"I hope they did see it. There's a camera there, there's also should be a camera across the freeway, at the crime lab, that shoots over in this direction, protecting the front of sheriff's headquarters bureau," Rodriguez said. "It'd be great, so he could find out who on his team is stooping to such levels to not only make his campaign look bad, but also to embarrass mine."

Theft or vandalism of political signs is illegal in all 50 states.

The sheriff's department says it has opened an inquiry into the incident. Villanueva's campaign officials say they don't know anything about the incident.