Someone went crazy.
A mysterious hacker with a knife cut down two healthy trees in Queens and is on the run in what city officials ominously called an “apparent attempt at tree removal,” the newspaper reported.
The two victims stand side by side on a quiet Ridgewood street, leaving their outraged neighbors demanding justice.
“The people who are doing this are just trying to get attention and are complete idiots. If possible, I would like to catch who it is. I would love to see it,” said Joseph Hernandez ( (42) said he was “shocked” to learn that such a massacre could have happened across the street from his family home.
The disturbing act was discovered earlier this week during an annual inspection of foliage along St. John's Road in Ridgewood, which has a history of anti-tree attacks.
The giant pine oaks and the much slender Japanese tower trees each had one deep cut, several inches deep.
The crude gash spanned about half of the oak's circumference, but also the entire trunk of the tower, angering neighbors who said it was a relatively new addition to the block.
“It was probably a chainsaw or something,” Hernandez surmised.
“It's like a straight slash, and it's deep. This is deep. It's not like you can't do this with a knife. You need heavy equipment to do something like this. And it's loud. It has to be. I don't think a machete can do that kind of damage.”
“It's something that provides us with a means to live, it's something that exchanges oxygen. You know, it's like, 'Why?' said Hernandez, a middle school math teacher and father of two.
His wife, Jennifer Castro, was equally disappointed to see the damage done to both trees and expressed shock that the small tower, just 23 inches in diameter, was still standing.
“What is the purpose? I mean, what do we get out of it by destroying that tree or that tree? What is the real purpose of destroying the tree?” School social worker at the Department of Education (45) ) said.
The trees that line the south side of the road are just two of eight on the narrow block. Pine Oak has been a particular favorite in the Hernandez family since they moved in 17 years ago.
“This has always been here. It's one of the biggest trees on the block. I like how it shows the age of the block and the community. It shows that it's been around for generations. ” continued Hernandez.
The couple could not remember when the nasty gash first appeared on the tree, but they suspect oaks were targeted first and then bushwackers returned for more.
The couple called on authorities to arrest the tree vandals.
“The people who do this just want attention and are complete idiots. If I can, I'd like to catch who it is. I'd love to see it,” he said. .
“First of all, you're not just harming trees. I have children, I have twins, and I want my children to know that people are cutting down trees, harming the environment, etc. I don’t want to see it, what are you learning?”
Stephanie Sarmiento, 34, who also lives on St. John's Road, theorized that the culprit lived among the enraged neighbors and was trying to expedite the tree removal process.
City data shows the pair of trees are healthy and will not be removed unless they are damaged.
“If you feel that the tree is causing damage to your sidewalk or home, you should call 311 like I did. I don't harm my trees,” said Sarmiento, a city health department employee. .
“We have to catch the people who are damaging the trees. It's terrible.”
Fortunately, the Park Service is already pursuing the perpetrator of what appears to be an attempted tree murder.
“Wanted” signs have been posted around the unfortunate victims, asking the public to hand over information about the culprits, with each saying: “This tree is being harmed and we need your help.” It is written.
Daniel Cardina, chief of staff to local councilor Bob Holden, said the incident was not the first to trouble the neighborhood, with a man fined just a few years ago for cutting down an evergreen tree with a machete. .
Cutting down or damaging city-owned trees is considered a serious crime, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail.
“Our street trees are a living, breathing part of our communities and a critical part of New York City’s green infrastructure,” Benjamin Osborne, Park Service assistant secretary for forestry and horticulture, told the Post. spoke.
“Protecting our urban forests is the responsibility of every New Yorker.”
