At least five medium sized trees on school property have apparently been cut down at night with an ax in the past several days — blocking Artillery Lane — prompting Edgemont school officials to contact Greenburgh police yesterday and to ask for the community’s help in trying to identify who may be responsible for these acts of vandalism.
Three of the trees were apparently cut during the height of the weekend snowstorm, sometime between 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday, according to Edgemont residents who walk their dogs in the area. The first tree was cut two weeks ago, and the most recent tree to be axed was cut down sometime last night.
Ax marks are visible on all five tree stumps and there are a number of footprints in the snow, indicating that more than one person may be involved. The trees appear to be at least 8-10 inches in diameter, and stood at least 75 feet high. In each case, once they were cut, whoever was responsible pushed the trees so that they would fall directly across Artillery Lane, so as to block the private road from being used in an emergency.
John McCabe, the director of facilities at the Edgemont School District, said today school officials had contacted Greenburgh police yesterday to report that trees were being cut at night, and to ask for an increase in police patrols in that area at that time. In a message left this morning with the Edgemont Community Council, Mr. McCabe said he is also appealing to the community for any information that would lead to the apprehension of the person or persons responsible. “If anyone sees anything suspicious in that area, they should notify us or the police,” he said.