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Police across the province put out a reminder Friday to warn the public that tampering with election signs is a crime.

“We have received numerous reports of candidate signs being vandalized,” said RCMP Const. Mike Hibbs. “In some cases, these acts of vandalism also include other types of property damages and even hate speech. We are investigating reports of these incidents and will lay charges accordingly.”

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The Alberta RCMP, Calgary Police Service and Edmonton Police Service joined together Friday to issue the warning and ask people “to respect the democratic process.”

A couple in Red Deer, Alta., say its sport-utility vehicle was keyed and urinated on, because of an election campaign sign they displayed on their lawn.

Dirk and Kerstin Heuer, who moved to Canada from Germany 15 years ago, had put up a sign supporting the NDP.

They discovered recently that someone had scratched vulgar language on their black-coloured SUV directed at both them and the party.

They say two tires were flattened and it appeared someone had urinated on a door handle.

The damage estimate is $2,500 and the Heuers have filed a report with the RCMP.

No one has been arrested.

The Heuers are permanent residents but are not eligible to vote on April 16. They say if they could vote, it would be for the NDP.

“I was surprised. I couldn’t really believe this happened to us,” said Dirk Heuer.

Barb Miller, the NDP candidate in Red Deer South, condemned the vandalism.

“We have been running this campaign with a focus on positivity, and it pains me to hear of this,” she said.