A man who allegedly vandalized a Mountain View City Council candidate's signs on Friday was cited for petty theft and vandalism on Sunday, police said.
City Council candidate John Inks said his signs were first vandalized in August, then again in September and this month.
His signs were most recently vandalized at about 3:40 a.m. Friday. Surveillance footage showed the suspect spray-painting the signs at a home in the 100 block of Church Street, then walking away with another sign.
One officer "immediately recognized" the suspect after watching the video on Sunday, according to police. Job Lopez, 73, was cited in connection with the crime. He is scheduled to appear in court in December and couldn't be reached for comment.
Inks said he knows Lopez through the Day Worker Center of Mountain View and the Mountain View Tenants Coalition.
Although the City Council race is non-partisan, Inks said he identifies as a libertarian and doesn't support rent control. He believes his signs were targeted due to his political and economic beliefs, and described Lopez as a "passionate rent control supporter."
"He's an older man, like me. To be going out there at three or four in the morning, I wouldn't have guessed he would do that," Inks said.
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Inks said his campaign hasn't been affected by the vandalism because he doesn't personally put up the signs. He said he's focusing on traditional campaign elements like canvassing and speaking with constituents, and described the sign vandalism as "an ugly sideshow" during the campaign.
