Holy Signage! Bad Guys Bag Batman

Where is Batman when you need him?

Officials, tired of replacing Batman Street signs, are considering changing the name to thwart thieves who have invaded this tiny metropolis. Just as they did in 1989 when the first “Batman” movie came out, thieves have made off with Batman Street signs after the release of the sequel, “Batman Returns,” last week.

“Every time they put one up on this corner, it’s gone,” said Betty Heaton, who has lived on Batman Street since 1944.

At one corner, the villains even made off with the whole bat pole.

But Heaton’s strongly against renaming the street. “It had never been bothered before, and Batman’s been popular for years,” she said. “They should just wait until all the publicity dies down before they put up the new ones.”

Residents say the street was named long before the Batman character appeared in DC’s Detective Comics in May, 1939. It was probably named for Samuel Batman, a justice of the peace in 1837.

Mary Alexander said the name has prompted smiles from people passing through the town of 1,000, about 60 miles southwest of Indianapolis. “Everybody asks if Robin lives next door,” she said.