La Vista police make arrest in (civic landmark) tree vandalism (I'm a proud tree hugger)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10562171

Published Thursday February 12, 2009
La Vista police make arrest in tree vandalism
BY LEIA BAEZ
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

La Vista police may have arrested the city’s most wanted man: the tree hacker.


19-year-old Johnathan P. Roy


Acting on a tip, detectives arrested 19-year-old Johnathan P. Roy of 7613 Terry Dr. in La Vista on suspicion of vandalizing La Vista’s landmark evergreen tree beside City Hall.

When word spread just after Christmas that the tree had been attacked, La Vista residents expressed anger and sadness. The evergreen has stood in front of City Hall since La Vista was founded in 1960.


Vandals sawed into this tree between Jan. 2 and Jan. 4 outside the La Vista City Hall. The tree will likely die because of the damage.

The annual tree lighting after Thanksgiving draws big crowds. It’s tradition to watch Santa Claus go up in a La Vista Fire Department aerial bucket and light the tree.

While removing Christmas lights from the tree last month, city workers discovered that vandals had done severe damage to the tree by sawing into the trunk approximately three-quarters of the way around at a depth of one inch or greater.

The city offered a reward of $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the vandalism.

It was a tip, police said, that resulted in Wednesday's arrest.

FULL story at link.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. A fine broth of a lad. nt

[panader0]

2. A skinhead?