An apparent epidemic of sign pilferage in Watertown has reached beyond aspirants to political office and is affecting the fundraising efforts for the football program at Immaculate Heart Central School.

"What concerns me," football coach Paul Alteri said Friday, "are you simply taking the signs just because, or are you doing it because it says IHC on it? If that is the case, that concerns me."

About 200 blue and white signs, which say "IHC Pride," have disappeared over the past three weeks from front yards and church and school lots.

But those are not the only signs that are disappearing. The two Republican hopefuls for town of Watertown justice, Andrew N. Capone and John W. Graham, are finding their signs vanishing from the yards of their respective supporters. Mr. Graham said in a voice mail message to the Times that thieves had taken roughly 20 percent of his campaign signs. Mr. Capone said earlier this week that more than 60 of the 250 signs he had placed are gone.

The IHC signs were sold at $20 each to supporters of the football program, Mr. Alteri said. About 50 remain unsold, he said, "but nobody wants to buy them because they will only be stolen."

The initial costs of the signs and the funds they would raise leave about a $2,000 gap in the football team's budget, Mr. Alteri said.

"That's not a small amount of money for us," he said. "Part of our livelihood is we've got to find other ways of raising money because we don't get government funding."

He said ordering the signs was his idea to raise money for the football program, but also a way for people to show their support for all activities at IHC.

"This way, I'm not asking for donations; I'm giving people something for their money. Now, because of some punk, I've got to try to recoup the funds, and we'll move on."

The spree against IHC signs initially took on the color of school rivalries. Some signs were sprayed CCS in red paint, casting suspicious eyes toward Carthage Central School, where red is one of the school colors.

But when thieves started walking off with signs, they also stole the vandalized signs, Mr. Alteri said.

"I can't imagine what they are going to do with all those signs," he said.

Watertown police said no complaints were received about the spree until Thursday morning, when two property owners requested investigations.