A middle-aged white man of average height and build has become the target of a Bedford Police Department appeal for public help after he was reported to have removed a trail rules sign multiple times from the Florance M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary trail system. Police have not named a suspect and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The sign in question sits along the sanctuary's trail network that straddles the Bedford and Goffstown town line, according to Newport Dispatch, which reported that police were seeking the man's identity. The 346-acre preserve includes 4.38 miles of public hiking trails, according to the Piscataquog Land Conservancy's own trail guide. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer J. Alford at [email protected] or (603) 472-5113 ext. 208, referencing case number 2026-022460, or to submit an anonymous tip by texting 888777 starting the message with TIP BEDFORDNHPD followed by the details.
A Preserve Born From a Teacher's Wishes
The sanctuary carries the name of Florence M. Tarr, a lifelong Bedford resident and retired schoolteacher whose estate led to the site's establishment in 1993. Ownership passed from the original Florence M. Tarr Trust to the Piscataquog Land Conservancy in the summer of 2017, when the trust was legally dissolved, leaving the regional nonprofit to manage the land under Tarr's original conservation terms.
Posted regulations at the sanctuary require dogs to be leashed and prohibit hunting, motorized vehicles, camping, and fires, according to trail information published by MyHikes. It's that sign, spelling out the rules for visitors, that police say has been taken more than once.
What Repeat Theft Costs a Volunteer-Run Trust
The Piscataquog Land Conservancy, founded in 1970 and based in New Boston, held conservation interests in 146 properties totaling 10,606 acres as of July 1, 2026, and operates across 26 municipalities in southern New Hampshire. The conservancy oversees preserved land throughout that region.
The land trust relies on a network of more than 50 volunteer property monitors, and its properties are regularly monitored, according to Rose Mountain Rumble. The sign has been removed more than once.
Community Speculation Over Motive
The police announcement does not establish a motive for the thefts. Police have not said whether the leash requirement specifically motivated the thefts.
The case also concerns the sanctuary and the land trust. The alleged unauthorized removal involved a sign.
