Police Search For Tree Vandals

Two town-owned trees along the Western end of Church Street are now without some or all of their branches after an apparent act of vandalism.

Vienna police are searching for suspects in the case, which was reported March 12 but could have happened as early as Feb. 24, according to police reports.

Both trees, which stand in front of the Great Harvest, need to be replaced, a cost of about $5,000, police said.

The vandalism was reported by the town's Parks and Recreation Department on Monday, after a town council member noticed the damage and asked if it was related to town tree work, police spokesman Bill Murray said.

Director Cathy Salgado investigated and reported the vandalism to police, Murray said.

Police are still investigating the case.

It isn't the first case of tree vandalism on the street: a few years ago, the town Christmas tree at Mill and Church Streets was vandalized and also had to be replaced, Murray said.

The town typically doesn't see a lot of vandalism to its property, Murray said. When it does, it's typically on a smaller scale -- graffiti in park bathrooms, for example -- than Monday's incident.