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Stop right now, Council tells sign vandal

Police have frowned on the illegal tampering with the stop signs in Adelaide's inner-west.

An artist defacing street signs in Adelaide's inner-west with comical slogans has hit a council roadblock.

The unknown person has been adding words to stop signs in Bowden and Brompton to create song lines, such as "I'll STOP the world and melt with you" and poke fun at the suburbs' trendy subculture with "STOP it with the hipster beards already".

But Charles Sturt Council has removed the signs and reported the acts of vandalism to police.

The council's acting chief executive, Paul Sutton, said altering the signs was a hazard for motorists.

"This practice is very dangerous ... we encourage the person who is doing this to stop immediately so that the public is no longer put in danger," Mr Sutton said.

The council has removed signs at the corners of East and Second streets and Drayton and Hawker streets. Mr Sutton said repairs cost ratepayers between $200 and $500 per sign.

A person that alters traffic controls without approval is liable for fines of up to $5000 or one year imprisonment.

Under the Road Traffic Act, a person that alters traffic controls without approval is liable for fines of up to $5000 or one year imprisonment.

A police spokesman encouraged witnesses to report vandals.

"The message to those defacing signs ... it's a criminal offence punishable by fine and or imprisonment – don't do it," he said.

Pictures of the stop signs posted to Adelaide Street Art's Facebook page have gathered more than 1200 "likes" and 250 "shares" since early August.

The page's administrator, John Goodridge, said the work "clearly resonated with people" and he didn't think it was dangerous. "It is more of a look and laugh type of thing," Mr Goodridge said.

"I can understand where the council is coming from, but there are others things on the road that are more likely to distract drivers."