Town Councillor optimistic that Leighton Buzzard tree vandals can be identified

Leighton-Linslade Town Council's newly-elected councillor Pat Carberry has stated he is optimistic that individuals responsible for destroying a number of recently planted saplings in Pages Park can be identified.

On Thursday, June 10, between 7.30pm and 8pm a number of recently planted saplings in Pages Park were targeted and destroyed.

Outrage by many local residents was expressed on social media sites and early on Friday morning Cllr Carberry was contacted by a member of the public who witnessed some the vandalism taking place.

Cllr Carberry said: “A concerned member of the public had witnessed a tree being destroyed and challenged those present. He used his phone to record a number of people involved and others who witnessed the vandalism and provided me with the recording.

"The footage did not show the faces of those concerned, however I felt they could still be identified given clothing they were wearing, so put a post on social media with a screenshot of the persons who may be able to assist in identifying those responsible for the vandalism.

"I have received information relating to the identity of those believed to have been captured in the recording and their details are being forwarded to the police.”

Cllr Carberry added: “Our parks and green spaces in Leighton-Linslade offer quality space for our townspeople to enjoy and many of them are award winning. Our town council

take pride in the dedication of the town council's ground staff in creating and maintaining such wonderful areas.

"The pointless destruction by vandals of newly planted trees results in additional cost for replacement of the destroyed trees. Funding is limited for the maintenance of our parks and this additional cost could have been better spent in improving leisure facilities such as the skate park.

"Hopefully those responsible will be learning that in this day and age when everyone has a mobile phone if you engage in anti-social behaviour you will likely be recorded and with social media you will likely be identified.

"It is such a shame that some see fit to destroy public property and miss the irony that they are destroying what is there for them and funded by them and their families.”

To read our previous article, visit: https://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/crime/tree-saplings-destroyed-in-leighton-buzzards-pages-park-after-mindless-vandalism-3269821?itm_source=parsely-api