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Anaheim Police Want To Know Who Chopped Down 13 Trees In Park

ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com)  —  Police in Anaheim want to know who cut down 13 trees July 13 at Ronald Reagan Park.

CBS2's Michele Gile said an investigation has been launched to find whoever hacked the trees.

Orange traffic cones now sit where trees once stood.

Anaheim police have a mystery on their hands.

"No trees. That is not good. Without the trees, there will be too much heat," said one park visitor.

A crew came to the park early Sunday and discovered the vandalism.

The 13 trees included sycamores, many of them chopped at mid-trunk.

"It's not like they needed the trees for firewood or to survive or anything," said Mike Contois, an Anaheim Hills resident. "This is Southern California. In Alaska, you can cut down a tree and burn it. You might need to cut down a tree to stay warm or survive. But not here. We need the trees to survive from the heat."

A nearby resident who didn't want to appear on camera told Gile that a group of teenagers was seen in the park Friday night. The teens described seeing a man in dark clothing.

The neighbor also wondered if it was a coincidence that 13 threes were chopped down, on the 13th, under a full moon.

Police said whoever is responsible is looking at possible felony vandalism charges depending on what it costs to replace the trees.

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