Clay Bailey

USA TODAY NETWORK-Memphis

Longtime District 95 state Rep. Curry Todd was arrested on a theft warrant Tuesday in connection with removing opponents' campaign signs from Collierville locations.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. Todd, the incumbent in Thursday's Republican primary for the district seat, faces three challengers — Diane George, Mark Lovell and Dana Matheny.

Earle Farrell, spokesman for the sheriff's office, said investigators tried numerous times to have Todd, 68, voluntarily come in to talk about the sign situation. According to Farrell, Todd said he was going to be out of town last week, then said he would come in Friday.

When the state representative didn't appear, a warrant for theft under $500 was issued Monday for his arrest. Farrell said Todd was taken into custody at his residence around noon Tuesday.

Todd's arrest is the latest in one of the most contentious campaigns on Thursday's ballot.

The charge stems from pictures of Todd taking Lovell's signs from the side of a road. Lovell said one of his campaign supporters captured the pictures of the incumbent removing the signs.

Todd acknowledged he is the person in the pictures, but said he had a right to remove the placards. The incumbent said he not only had permission from the property owner to put his signs there, but also to remove the signs of any of Todd's opponents, if they appeared on the spot.

"Yes, I did pick up the signs the other day, and I took 'em," Todd said in a July 19 story. "I wasn't trying to hide anything. It was daylight."

At the time the pictures surfaced, Collierville police Lt. David Townsend said the department took a report related to sign theft. The report was sent to the District Attorney General's Office, which is handling the case, for review.

Farrell said the SCSO received a number of inquiries regarding whether authorities would take action against the state representative.

This is the second time a Todd arrest has made headlines. In 2011, Todd was arrested on DUI and gun charges in Nashville. He pleaded guilty to the charges in 2013.

Reporters Daniel Connolly and Dave Boucher contributed to this story.