For decades, the ‘Valentine’s Bandit’ has plastered Portland, Maine, with hearts

The night before Valentine’s Day in Portland, Maine, locals go to bed knowing the Valentine’s Bandit will strike overnight, covering doorways, windows and telephone poles in bright red paper hearts.

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

Something special happens the night before Valentine’s Day in Portland, Maine. Children and adults alike go to bed knowing that, while they are sleeping, the Valentine’s Bandit will strike, covering doorways, windows and telephone poles across the city in bright red, paper hearts. Anisa Vietze has the story.

ANISA VIETZE, BYLINE: If you live in Portland, you know about the Valentine’s Bandit.

STELLA DEL TERGO: That’s sort of, like, Portland’s version of, like, the Easter Bunny, but just for Valentine’s Day.

VIETZE: Stella Del Tergo grew up in Portland. She says the tradition feels fantastical.

DEL TERGO: That whole city is absolutely plastered with hearts, and you get to walk around on Valentine’s Day and feel like you’re in a different little world.

VIETZE: Add that the Valentine’s Bandit managed to do this anonymously for over 45 years, and you have yourself a local legend.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: The Valentine Bandit…

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: The Valentine Bandit…

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Placing red hearts big and small…

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #4: The closest thing we may have to a masked superhero.

VIETZE: But this year, Valentine’s is bittersweet for Portland. Last April, the man behind the Valentine’s Bandit tradition passed away suddenly. His friends and family decided to reveal his identity. Kevin Fahrman didn’t work alone, but he secretly led a group of people in putting up the hearts for decades. The team also put up huge banners hanging off of buildings several stories in the air, dangling from construction cranes and atop an old military fort in the middle of Casco Bay, accessible only by boat.

PATTI URBAN: I don’t know how many times he slipped and fell on the ice,…