Crews were at work clearing felled trees in downtown Los Angeles Monday after someone on a bicycle used a small cordless chainsaw to cut them down in an act of vandalism.
The attacks apparently took place overnight Friday.
“The suspect approached on a bicycle and stood next to the tree,” before the shade tree went down, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Norma Eisenman.
The suspect then ”went down the line,” cutting down more trees, she said.
Photos of the downed trees appeared on social media and in the Los Angeles Times.
At least five toppled trees were spotted at Grand Avenue and Wells Fargo Center, Olympic Street and Figueroa Boulevard, Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue, and at Grand Avenue and Fifth Street, according to broadcast reports.
Some people noted on the online message board Reddit that the area is home to many street cameras, which conceivably could assist authorities in finding the perpetrator.
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement, saying, “That someone would do this is truly beyond comprehension.”
She added, “City public works crews are assessing the damage and we will be making plans to quickly replace these damaged trees. LAPD has opened an investigation into what happened and those responsible must be held accountable.”
According to ABC7, security guards at a pair of area buildings said surveillance video showed an unidentified vandal riding a bicycle and in possession of a chainsaw, however, the footage was not immediately released and a description of the male suspect was not made available.
Eisenman said the suspect was wearing all dark clothing.
The LAPD’s Central Division is handling the investigation.