An anti-religious sign displayed alongside a Christmas exhibit at the Washington state capitol in Olympia went missing Friday and later was found in a radio station in Seattle.

Washington State Patrol Sgt. Ted DeHart told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer an investigation is ongoing to find out who removed the sign and took it to the station of 94.1 KMPS. The officer said the removal of the sign was a crime.

The sign mounted on a tripod and with words referring to religion as "myth and superstition" was originally located on the third floor of the capitol building and near a Christmas tree display, a menorah, and a Nativity scene. It elicited public complaints when it was recently featured on a Fox TV show.

Gov. Christine Gregoire and Attorney General Rob McKenna issued a joint statement earlier in the week defending the sign.

"The U.S. Supreme Court has been consistent and clear that, under the Constitution's First Amendment, once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of nonbelievers," the SPI quoted the joint statement as saying.