Law on removing property pins that a surveyor has placed in ground

Country: United States of America
State: Pennsylvania

Is there a law in Pennsylvania to protect a property owner when someone removes property pins that a surveyor has placed in ground to show property boundaries?

[Friend In Court]

Originally Posted by Unregistered Country: United States of America State: Pennsylvania Is there a law in Pennsylvania to protect a property owner when someone removes property pins that a surveyor has placed in ground to show property boundaries?

In a word, "yes." Here's the Pennsylvania Code on removal of survey stakes:

2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Chapter 33 - Arson, Criminal Mischief and Other Property Destruction
3312 - Destruction of a survey monument.

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§ 3312. Destruction of a survey monument.
(a) Offense defined.--
(1) A person commits a summary offense if he
intentionally cuts, injures, damages, destroys, defaces or
removes any survey monument or marker, other than a natural
object such as a tree or stream.
(2) A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree
if he willfully or maliciously cuts, injures, damages,
destroys, defaces or removes any survey monument or marker in
order to call into question a boundary line.
(b) Restitution.--Any person convicted of violating this
section shall, in addition to any other penalty imposed, be
liable for the cost of the reestablishment of permanent survey
monuments or markers by a professional land surveyor and all
reasonable attorney fees.
(c) Affirmative defense.--It is an affirmative defense to
any prosecution for an offense under this section that the
survey monument or marker was improperly placed by a
professional land surveyor.
(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
"Professional land surveyor." As defined under the act of
May 23, 1945 (P.L.913, No.367), known as the Engineer, Land
Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law.
"Survey monument or marker." Any object adopted or placed by
a professional land surveyor to define the boundaries of a
property, including, but not limited to, natural objects such as
trees or streams, or artificial monuments such as iron pins,
concrete monuments, set stones or party walls. The phrase does
not include a wooden stake placed by a professional land
surveyor as a temporary marker or placeholder.
(July 7, 2006, P.L.348, No.72, eff. 60 days)

2006 Amendment. Act 72 added section 3312.

[karinabartram]

If the survey is correct, you should contact the Assessor's office to see if you have been paying property taxes on the disputed portion. If so, and if you and your predecessor have done continuously for 5 years, you have a good claim for adverse possession. There are other factors, but usually the property tax hurdle is the most challenging.