‘River Oaks Is Not Playin Around': Lafayette Resident Posts Giant Yard Sign Calling Out Alleged Thief

A Lafayette homeowner has taken neighborhood watch to the next level—by turning her front yard into a full-blown billboard aimed at catching a bench thief.

In the River Oaks neighborhood, near the corner of Shadycrest Drive and Simcoe Street, a large sign featuring a surveillance photo of someone riding a bicycle has been placed in the middle of the homeowner’s yard. The bold move has already gotten attention online and from neighbors driving by.

Catherine Lemoine shared a photo of the sign on Facebook, writing, “River Oaks is not playin around. Now bring that lady’s bench back.”

The image on the sign appears to be a screen grab from a home security camera, showing the person believed to have taken the bench.

According to Lemoine, the bench was used by a woman who would sit and wait for her child to get off the school bus each day.

“It caught my eye and I had to slam on my brakes!! She had that bench on the corner where she waits for her small child to get off the bus, and I see her sitting there every day,” Lemoine wrote. “So I took it personal when I saw the billboard.”

The bold signage almost immediately sparked up conversation across social media and in the neighborhood, with many expressing support for the homeowner’s creative effort to get the bench back.

Sometimes it’s not just about the item that was taken—it’s about the principle. And in this case, that principle is sitting large and proud in someone’s front yard for all to see.

If you recognize the individual in the photo or know anything about the missing bench, let the homeowner know—or feel free to message us, and we’ll help pass the word along.

Let's get that bench back.