West Richland police are investigating this week's vandalism of a council candidate's campaign sign.

Vandals destroyed one of Ron Hayden's 4-foot by 4-foot wooden signs at the corner of Harrington Road and Twin Bridges Road sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Hayden, 27, said he noticed the damaged sign on his way home from his job with the Hanford Patrol.

"What I find disturbing is they pulled the posts out of the ground, they were in there at least two feet, and laid them in a cross on the ground, like a target. I feel it's a deliberate threat," he said.

Police Chief Brian McElroy said, "This is the only vandalism we've identified as having occurred since Sunday."

If caught, the vandals could be charged with malicious mischief and theft.

Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to call police at 967-3425.