Man arrested, accused of cutting down multiple trees in Los Angeles with a chainsaw

A man has been arrested and accused of using a chainsaw to cut down multiple trees in Los Angeles over the past 10 days.

Samuel Patrick Groft, 44, is facing felony vandalism charges. He is alleged to have cut down trees at around 12 a.m. local time on April 17, at around 3:40 p.m. on April 18, at around 1:20 a.m. on April 19 and at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a release.

The trees were located in downtown Los Angeles and the city’s Westlake neighborhood and Glassell Park, police said. 

Groft was found and arrested at around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, which was also Earth Day, and he remains in custody on $150,000 bail according to jail records.

Police also said in their release that they believe Groft could be connected to other tree cuttings that were not reported. Officials believe at least 11 trees were cut down, according to KNBC-TV.

Groft faces eight counts of felony vandalism, with the estimated damage caused at least $347,000. If convicted, he could receive up to 15 years and four months in a California state prison, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said in a release.

Groft has also previously been convicted on previous charges of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and vandalism, the district attorney’s office said.

Los Angeles officials plan to replace each destroyed tree with two in its place, Los Angeles Councilmember Ysabel Jurado said at a news conference, according to KCBS-TV.