Anaheim Police Seek Vandals Who Cut Down Park Trees

The incident occurred sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning

Anaheim police are asking for the public’s help to find those responsible for cutting down 13 trees in a city park on Saturday night.

A park employee called the authorities Sunday morning to investigate the vandalism, Anaheim Police Lt. Bob Dunn said.

Someone had chopped down the 13 sycamore and redbud trees overnight and left them at the park, police said. Police believe the vandalism was done with an ax based on marks left on the trunks.

Police said they do not know the motive behind the act, which caused an estimated thousands of dollars of damage. They said someone should have heard the sawing noise during the night, but no one called to report anything.

Jan Schlentz, who often brings her grandchildren to the park, speculated that the trees were chopped down to create more open space for sports and recreation.

Schlentz said without the trees, the park will feel like a desert.

"We need all the shade we can get here," said Angela Currin, another regular visitor to the park. 

Dunn said police are looking to charge responsible parties with vandalism, and that the crime could be a felony.

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