A man suspected of using a power saw to cut down numerous trees on city property in downtown Los Angeles, the Westlake District and Glassell Park was behind bars Wednesday.
Samuel Patrick Groft, 45, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Custer Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, adjacent to the Hollywood (101) Freeway and Arroyo Seco (110) Parkway, in downtown Los Angeles, police said.
Bail has been set at $100,000 for the Los Angeles resident, police said.
Police said Groft is suspected of cutting down trees:
— in the 500 block of North Broadway, near Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, in downtown Los Angeles around midnight Thursday;
— in the 1500 block of West Eighth Street, near Union Avenue, in the Westlake district around 3:40 p.m. Friday;
— the 2Cal skyscraper in the Bunker Hill section of downtown at 350 S. Grand Ave., between Third and Fourth streets, around 1:20 a.m. Saturday; and
— in the 300 block of Treadwell Street, adjacent to Forest Lawn-Glendale and San Fernando Road, in Glassell Park, around 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The LAPD issued a Community Alert at 4:54 p.m. Tuesday with pictures of the man suspected of cutting down the trees. Groft’s arrest was announced at 6:34 p.m.
The LAPD announced it is seeking additional victims because it believes Groft may be responsible for additional unreported crimes.
Anyone with information regarding the tree-cutting incidents was urged to call LAPD Central Burglary Detective Gutierrez at 213-924-8930.
Calls during non-business hours should be directed to the watch commander at 213-486-6618. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.