Masked Tree Killer Caught on Video Killing Trees: Cops

PLAINFIELD, IL — Simmering tensions between two neighbors escalated to the point that one poisoned the other’s arbor vitae trees — and got caught doing it on video, police said.

Jeffrey Kraus, 56, was charged with criminal damage to property for allegedly poisoning his neighbor’s trees.

The neighbor, 63-year-old Eric Carlsen, discovered in August that his arbor vitae trees were “mysteriously dying,” according to a search warrant filed in Will County court.

Carlsen reportedly installed trail cameras on his South Poppy Lane property and discovered what was at the root of his trees’ troubles.

Video and photos from the camera showed Kraus “carrying what appeared to be a large mechanic’s oil pan, walk next to the arbor vitae trees and dump an unknown substance at the base of the arbor vitae trees,” the search warrant said. “Other pictures show what appears to be Jeffrey noticing the hidden cameras.”

Apparently wise to the surveillance measures, when the tree killer returned days later he had a “ski mask concealing his face” but the “same type of shirt, light colored cargo pants, flip flops and body size of Jeffrey Kraus,” the warrant said.

This time, the intruder used a wand attached to a sprayer to spread an unknown chemical on the trees, police said.

The masked man was back again a few weeks later, carrying a canister as he “walked across Eric’s backyard in the darkness,” the warrant said.

Kraus’ alleged arbor vitae aggression apparently stemmed from longstanding grudge.

Carlsen told the cops Kraus was “killing the arbor vitae trees due to an ongoing mutual hatred between them,” the warrant said.

One time, Carlsen told Kraus to “keep his child off his property,” according to the warrant, and he called the cops on Kraus to file a fireworks complaint.

Kraus, on the other hand, went to the police and accused Carlsen of “improperly storing a machine in his backyard,” the warrant said.

Kraus is due in court on the charge Dec. 21.